Writer and reflective thinker Mehak Saluja shared, “Art communicates with subtle strength the collective emotions and feelings that sometimes words cannot.” Simit, it seems, does just that for Turkey—it’s a single word that conveys the baker’s art and instantly evokes a sense of community, country, and culture for anyone who is either from Turkey or has spent meaningful time there. The last time I was in Istanbul was many decades ago, well before we opened the Deli in 1982. And yet, I still remember the simit. The great writers of Turkey seem deeply connected to it as well. Saluja points to how the acclaimed Turkish author Elif Shafak, who I had the pleasure of meeting at the Deli many years ago, captures its essence: “The fragrances that waft from local foods like simit, kofte, ashure come to life in the writing as Shafak describes the hurried life in Istanbul.”
Hazim Tugun, longtime Bakehouse bread specialist, grew up in Turkish Cyprus, where simit is standard fare. This is how he recently described his experience with it:
This beloved snack bread takes me back to my childhood. That said, it also feels timeless, as I enjoyed it so much as an adult too. It conjures a bit of nostalgia, bringing back the excitement of our family visiting Istanbul, ferry rides on the Bosphorus, and of just the pleasure of eating amazing food in Istanbul. I still eat simit whenever I go back to Cyprus or Istanbul, especially for breakfast, although the actual simit itself may on occasion pale (based on my newly formed baker’s palate) compared to the overall anticipation/experience/idea of having it.
Here, in our attempt to recreate this humble, traditional food, we combine locally grown and stone-milled wheat flour with a touch of in-house milled durum flour in a stiff dough that we ferment, braid into a ring, dip in grape molasses, and cover with pre-toasted sesame seeds. After an extended overnight fermentation to further develop flavors, we bake these rings to a deep golden color. The aroma of freshly baked simit is enough to start bringing the memories back—but it’s that first bite that opens the magical portal for me. A bit of crunch gives way to a chewy interior, with the irresistible combination of savoriness from the toasted sesame seeds and a subtle, hard-to-put-your-finger-on sweetness from the grape molasses.
Enjoy it fresh on its own, bite by bite, or with a bit of cheese (like a great feta), summer tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives with some black tea (like the Turks do), or dip it in honey and cream cheese. If there is still some left over, slice the whole thing open, and make it into a great open-face grilled cheese in your oven the next day. Hopefully, you will step into that magic portal with that first bite, too.
Here at the Bakehouse, we’re beyond excited to bring simit into our repertoire.
