Terra Cotta Crock Pots

Cooking in terra cotta pots is a tradition found all over the globe – China, Germany, Ethiopia, Morocco all have their unique designed pots and Turkey is no exception.


photo courtesy of maxie travel blog

There are the single use terra cotta pots that are sealed for cooking and cracked open for serving.  And then there are crockery pots- round and shaped like our standard 4 -6 quart dutch oven styles.  These are unglazed on the inside.  Soaking them in water assures a steady supply of steam for whatever is cooking inside. 

 

These well used terra cotta pots are sitting on the counter of the outside kitchen at Aravan Evi, a family owned restaurant and hotel in small village outside of Urgüp.  Here, the three generations of the Yazgan family make you feel like you have come home. 

In the corner of the outdoor kitchen is a traditional round, wood fired oven called a tandir.  Fired by grape vine cuttings, this oven makes that the soups, stews, vegetables and breads that guests rave about.  Our lunch here was local, traditional, elegant, and made by hands that love what they do.  This is a place not to be missed.