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Photos of Turkey

JKe895 — Tue, 08 May 2007 13:05:39 -0700

I know that this may have nothing to do with Ancient History but I am very excited about these photos from Yusuf Tuvi! He's a famous Turkish photographer that travels around the world to catch the beauties of everyday life. These are some of his photos of Turkey. I really hope that you all enjoy them. I have truly fallen in love with this place.

Mount Nemrut

Sardes, Turkey

Celsius Library, Ephesus, Turkey

Celsius Library (2), Ephesus, Turkey

Sumela Monastery, Trabzon, Turkey
(This is still being used today)

Lake Uluabat, Turkey

Highlands - Black Sea, Turkey

Woman and Cow - Black Sea, Turkey

Market Place - Black Sea, Turkey

Lake Van, Turkey

Lake Van (2), Turkey

Autumn in Izmir, Turkey

Bozdag - Odemis, Turkey

Hattusas, Turkey

Mount Ararat, Turkey
(Believed to be one of the possible places where Noah's Ark landed)

Ephesus Festival - Ephesus, Turkey

Whirling Dervishes - Istanbul, Turkey
(Truely amazing to watch!)

Harran - Sanliurfa, Turkey

Dining at Mount Nemrut, Turkey

Market Place - Sanliurfa, Turkey

Foccia - Izmir, Turkey

Lake Egridir, Turkey

Fishermen - Izmir, Turkey

The Bridge - Black Sea, Turkey

All of these places are unique to Turkey. I did not include main photos from Istanbul and from Cappidoccia because I would like to blog about them shortly

Cappadocia, Turkey

JKe895 — Tue, 08 May 2007 13:28:05 -0700

Words taken from Wikpedia:
Photos are taken off Internet: (Personal photos were not included)

In ancient geography, Cappadocia (or Capadocia) (from Persian: Katpatuka meaning "the land of beautiful horses"[citation needed], Greek: Καππαδοκία; see also List of traditional Greek place names; Turkish Kapadokya) was an extensive inland district of Asia Minor (modern Turkey). In the time of Herodotus the Cappadocians occupied the whole region from Mount Taurus to the Euxine (Black Sea).

Cappadocia, in this sense, was bounded in the south by the chain of Mount Taurus, to the east by the Euphrates, north by Pontus, and west vaguely by the great central salt lake. But it is impossible to define its limits with accuracy. Strabo, the only ancient author who gives any circumstantial account of the country, greatly exaggerated its dimensions; it is now believed to have been about 250 miles in length by less than 150 in breadth.

The earliest record of the name of Cappadocia dates from the late 6th century BC it where appears in the trilingual inscriptions of two early Achaemenid Kings, Darius I and Xerxes, as one of the countries (Old Persian dahyu-) which are part of the Persian Empire. In these lists of countries the Old Persian name is Katpatuka but it is clearly not a native Persian word. The Elamite and Akkadian language versions of the inscriptions contain a similar name.

Herodotus tells us that the name of the Cappadocians (Katpatouka) was applied to them by the Persians, while they were termed by the Greeks "Syrians" or "White Syrians" (Leucosyri). One of the Cappadocian tribes he mentions are the Moschoi, associated by Flavius Josephus with the biblical figure Meshech, son of Japheth, "and the Mosocheni were founded by Mosoch; now they are Cappadocians." AotJ I:6. Also see Ketubot 13:11 in the Mishna.

Under the later kings of the Persian empire they were divided into two satrapies, or governments, the one comprising the central and inland portion, to which the name of Cappadocia continued to be applied by Greek geographers, while the other was called Pontus. This division had already come about before the time of Xenophon. As after the fall of the Persian government the two provinces continued to be separate, the distinction was perpetuated, and the name Cappadocia came to be restricted to the inland province (sometimes called Great Cappadocia), which alone will be the focus of this article.

The kingdom of Cappadocia was still in existence in the time of Strabo as a nominally independent state. Cilicia was the name given to the district in which Caesarea, the capital of the whole country, was situated. The only two cities of Cappadocia considered by Strabo to deserve that appellation were Caesarea (originally known as Mazaca) and Tyana, not far from the foot of the Taurus.

History
Cappadocia was known as Hatti in the late Bronze Age, and was the homeland of the Hittite power centred at Hattusa. After the fall of the Hittite Empire, with the decline of the Syro-Cappadocians (Mushki) after their defeat by the Lydian king Croesus in the 6th century, Cappadocia was left in the power of a sort of feudal aristocracy, dwelling in strong castles and keeping the peasants in a servile condition, which later made them apt for foreign slavery. It was included in the third Persian satrapy in the division established by Darius, but long continued to be governed by rulers of its own, none apparently supreme over the whole country and all more or less tributary to the Great King. Thoroughly subdued at last by the satrap Datames, Cappadocia recovered independence under a single ruler, Ariarathes (hence called Ariarathes I), who was a contemporary of Alexander the Great, and maintained himself on the throne of Cappadocia after the fall of the Persian monarchy.

The province was not visited by Alexander, who contented himself with the tributary acknowledgment of his sovereignty made by Ariarathes before the conqueror's departure from Anatolia; and the continuity of the native dynasty was only interrupted for a short time after Alexander's death, when the kingdom fell, in the general partition of the empire, to Eumenes. His claims were made good in 322 BC by the regent Perdiccas, who crucified Ariarathes; but in the dissensions which brought to Eumenes's death, the son of Ariarathes recovered his inheritance and left it to a line of successors, who mostly bore the name of the founder of the dynasty.

15th Century Map showing Cappidocia

Under Ariarathes IV Cappadocia came into relations with Rome, first as a foe espousing the cause of Antiochus the Great, then as an ally against Perseus of Macedon. The kings henceforward threw in their lot with the Republic as against the Seleucids, to whom they had been from time to time tributary. Ariarathes V marched with the Roman proconsul Publius Licinius Crassus Mucianus against Aristonicus, a claimant to the throne of Pergamon, and their forces were annihilated (130 BC). The imbroglio which followed his death ultimately led to interference by the rising power of Pontus and the intrigues and wars which ended in the failure of the dynasty.

The Cappadocians, supported by Rome against Mithradates, elected a native lord, Ariobarzanes, to succeed (93 BC); but it was not till Rome had disposed at once of the Pontic and Armenian kings that his rule was established (63 BC). In the civil wars Cappadocia was now for Pompey, now for Caesar, now for Antony, now against him. The Ariobarzanes dynasty came to an end and a certain Archelaus reigned in its stead, by favour first of Antony, then of Octavian, and maintained tributary independence till AD 17, when the emperor Tiberius, on Archelaus's death in disgrace, reduced Cappadocia at last to a Roman province and later to a region of the Byzantine Empire .

Cappadocia contains several underground cities (see Kaymaklı Underground City), largely used by early Christians as hiding places before they become a legitimate religion. The Cappadocian Fathers of the fourth century were integral to much of early Christian philosophy. It also produced, among other people, another Patriarch of Constantinople, John of Cappadocia who held office 517–520. For most of the Byzantine era it remained relatively undisturbed by the conflicts in the area, first with the Sassanid Empire and later against the Islamic expansion led by Arabs.

Cappadocia shared an always changing relation with the neighbouring Armenia, by that time a region of the Empire. The Arab historian Abu Al Faraj, purports the following about Armenian settlers in Sivas, during the 10th century: “Sivas, in Cappadocia, was dominated by the Armenians and their numbers became so many that they became vital members of the imperial armies. These Armenians were used as watch-posts in strong fortresses, taken from the Arabs. They distinguished themselves as experienced infantry soldiers in the imperial army and were constantly fighting with outstanding courage and success by the side of the Romans in other words Byzantine.”[1] As a result of the Byzantine military campaigns, the Armenians spread into Cappadocia and eastward from Cilicia into the mountainous areas of northern Syria and Mesopotamia. This immigration was increased further after the decline of the local imperial power and the establishment of the Crusader States following the 4th Crusade. Cappadocia became part of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, a state formed in the 12th century by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia and a close ally of the Crusaders.

Following the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 various Turkic tribes under the leadership of the Seljuks began settling in Anatolia. After the rise of the Turkic power in Anatolia, Cappadocia slowly became tributary to the Turkic empires and some of the population converted to Islam. By the early 13th century the Seljuks had conquered the vacum of the shrinking Byzantine Empire and established the vassal emirate of Karaman to control the centre-east areas. The Karamanids expanded their land attracting the discontent of the Seljuks. This fragile peace was interrupted frequently by open hostilities. The Karamanid dominion survived the decline and fall of the Seljuks, who soon were replaced by the Ottomans as the dominant Turkish emirate and leaders of Islam. A treaty between the two dominions was made and peace existed until the reign of Bayezid I who disolved the semi-independant Karaman. Apart from a brief control under the Timur empire, Cappadocia remained part of the Ottoman Empire for the centuries to come and remains now part of the modern state of Turkey.

Many Cappadocians shifted during that period to a Turkish dialect (written with the Greek alphabet, Karamanlıca) and where Greek was maintained (Sille, villages near Kayseri, Pharasa town and other nearby villages), it became heavily influenced by the surrounding Turkish. This dialect of Greek is known as Cappadocian Greek; following the 1923 population exchange between Greece and Turkey, the language is now only spoken by a handful of the former population's descendants in modern Greece.

Modern tourism
The area is a famous and popular tourist destination, as it has several cone-shaped geological formations.

It is southwest of the major city Kayseri, which has airline and railroad service to Ankara and Istanbul.

After the eruption of Mt. Erciyes about 2000 years ago, the volcanic deposits formed soft rocks (ignimbrites) in the Cappadocia Region. People of Goreme, at the heart of the Cappadocia Region, realized that these soft rocks could be easily carved out to form houses, churches, monasteries. Goreme became a monastic center between 300-1200 AD. First period settlement in Goreme reaches to the Roman period from Christianity. Yusuf Koc, Ortahane, Durmus Kadir and Bezirhane churches in Goreme, houses and churches carved into rocks till to Uzundere, Bagildere and Zemi Valley carries the mystical side of history today. The Goreme Open Air Museum is the most visited site of the monastic communities in Cappadocia and is one of the most famous sites in central Turkey. It is a complex comprising more than 30 rock-carved churches and chapels containing some superb frescoes, dating from the 9th to the 11th centuries.

Cappadocians in popular culture
In The Simpsons episode "Brother from Another Series," the character Sideshow Bob grudgingly acknowledges the Cappadocians as the only "civilization in history [that] considered hydrodynamics a calling." This referred to the Cappadocians being famous for underground cities, although not specifically dams.[2]

Wu tang Affilate Darryl Hill styles himself as "Cappadonna" in reference to this civilisation and also goes by the pseudonym "lebanon don" in reference to lebanon being a part of this civilisation

How To Make A Turkey Shoe (With Video)

celebrity_soup — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 12:56:13 -0800

For this holiday season making turkey is a must!

To make it even more perfect than it already is, dress it up a little with a pair of paper turkey shoes!
They are so easy to make, just watch this step by step video and start getting crafty!

Burning Question: At What Temperature Is a Turkey Cooked?

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:00:48 -0800

No matter what kind of turkey you'll be having this year, there's one question you'll need the answer to: What temperature does a turkey need to reach in order be considered "done"?

Until last year, the USDA recommended cooking turkey to an internal temperature of 180ºF. But based on the fact that bacteria threat salmonella cannot withstand temperatures of 160ºF after 30 seconds, the FDA now suggests a minimum internal temperature of 165ºF as measured by a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.

At what temperature do you consider your turkey done?

Got a burning question? Join the Burning Question group in the YumSugar Community! It's your place to post the most pressing questions about the culinary world.

Thankgiving Myth: Turkey Makes You Sleepy

justingirl1989 — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:30:35 -0800

There are a couple of myths told each year at my house on Thanksgiving. One is that Uncle Lou will finally get the hint by Friday afternoon that he's overstayed his welcome and will leave without swiping most of the leftovers. The other is that there's a natural chemical in turkey called tryptophan that makes you sleepy after the Thanksgiving meal.

While the first myth stems from wishful thinking, the sleepy-turkey myth lingers around each year because it sounds so logical.

Alas, it is only marginally true. What's making you sleepy after Thanksgiving dinner is any combination of booze, bad conversation and a carbohydrate-heavy meal, but not the turkey itself.

The tryptophan trip

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid crucial for good health. Human bodies need tryptophan to build certain kinds of proteins. There is a sleep connection, though. The body uses tryptophan in a multi-step process to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps regulate sleep.

Turkey does have tryptophan. But all meat has tryptophan at comparable levels. Cheddar cheese, gram for gram, has more. While cheddar isn't the most exciting cheese in the cheese cellar, no one connects it with sleep. Turkey gets singled out for no other reason than being eaten during the biggest meal of the year.

In essence, big meals with any food containing tryptophan can cause sleepiness. The real culprits are all those carbohydrates from potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, bread and pie. The massive intake of carb-heavy calories stimulates the release of insulin, which in turn triggers the uptake of most amino acids from the blood into the muscles except for tryptophan.

With other amino acids swept out of the bloodstream, tryptophan-from turkey or ham or any meat or cheese, for that matter-can better make its way to the brain to produce serotonin. Without that insulin surge, tryptophan would have to compete with all the other kinds of amino acids in the big meal as they make their way to the brain via a common chemical transport route. And not enough tryptophan would make it to the brain because other basic amino acids are far more plentiful in food.

Turkey sleeping pill

Tryptophan can trigger the production of serotonin and sweet dreams if it is taken alone on an empty stomach. In fact, tryptophan supplements were a popular sleep aid in the 1980s. Then the FDA banned their sale in 1991 after a massive outbreak of an autoimmune disease called eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.

Tens of thousands of people were sickened with flu-like symptoms and 37 died-likely not the kind of sleep anyone had in mind. Most of the cases were traced back to contamination at the supplement manufacturer's plant, but scientists still find a connection between high-doses of tryptophan and eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.

There remains ongoing debate on whether tryptophan really causes eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome, with some arguing that the pharmaceutical industry pressured the FDA to ban this natural supplement, which acts on serotonin in a way similar to how Prozac and many anti-depressant drugs work.

Like a good dinner, this 16-year-old argument might be very stimulating or just put you to sleep.

What Do Turkeys and T. Rex Have in Common?

Top 10 Bad Things That Are Good For You
Can Turkeys Fly?

Christopher Wanjek is the author of the books “Bad Medicine” and “Food At Work.” Got a question about Bad Medicine? Thankgiving Myth: Turkey Makes You Sleepy

Visit LiveScience.com for more daily news, views and scientific inquiry with an original, provocative point of view. LiveScience reports amazing, real world breakthroughs, made simple and stimulating for people on the go. Check out our collection of Science, Animal and Dinosaur Pictures, Science Videos, Hot Topics, Trivia, Top 10s, Voting, Amazing Images, Reader Favorites, and more. Get cool gadgets at the new LiveScience Store, sign up for our free daily email newsletter and check out our RSS feeds today!

thats good to know..

source: yahoo.com

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Turkey Wraps

ALSW — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 11:30:44 -0700

One of the great things about a slow cooker (or crock pot, as it's sometimes called), is that it's a versatile kitchen item. Everyone might not agree, but here's the thing: a slow cooker can be used to feed two, a family, or even a crowd.

Add that fact to the simplicity of using it and is it any wonder that I love mine so much? This recipe is perfect if you're planning an informal party and wondering what to serve the crowd. Just throw it all together in the afternoon and serve in the evening!

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Turkey Wraps
From BettyCrocker.com

Prep Time:15 min
Makes:16 wraps

2 pounds turkey breast tenderloins
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup water
2 envelopes (1.25 ounces each) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix
2 packages (11.5 ounces each) Old El Paso® flour tortillas for burritos (16 tortillas; 8 inch)
2 cups bite-size pieces lettuce
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

1. Place turkey in 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper. Add onion and water.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 6 to 7 hours or until juice of turkey is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut.
3. Remove turkey from slow cooker. Shred turkey, using 2 forks. Measure liquid from slow cooker; add enough water to liquid to measure 2 cups. Mix seasoning mixes (dry) and liquid mixture in slow cooker. Stir in shredded turkey.
4. Cover and cook on low heat setting 1 hour.
5. Spoon about 1/4 cup turkey onto center of each tortilla; top with lettuce and cheese. Roll up tortillas.

Feel free to add any other condiments and wrap items that you think your guests would like. Tomatoes and sour cream come immediately to mind, but I'm sure you could come up with more!

BBQ Turkey Sandwhiches

fragiletearz — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 16:44:06 -0700

Ingredients:
• 1-1/4 cups shredded green or red cabbage
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet red peppers
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons nonfat mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons nonfat sour cream
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• Pinch of ground black pepper
• 1-1/4 teaspoons paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 pound turkey breast tenders
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
• 6 sesame seed sandwich buns

Print
· Full Page
· 4x6
· 3x5

Directions:
To make the creamy coleslaw: In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, red peppers, and onions.

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, vinegar, celery seeds, basil, and black pepper. Pour over the cabbage and toss to coat. Set aside.

To make the turkey barbecue: Coat a grill rack or broiler pan with nostick spray. Preheat the grill or broiler.

In a small bowl, combine the paprika, basil, garlic powder, and red pepper. Rub the spice mixture all over the turkey tenders.

Place the turkey on the prepared rack or pan. Cook 4" from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in the center when tested with a sharp knife.

Using a fork, shred the turkey following the grain of the meat. Discard the tendon that runs the length of each tender.

In a large no-stick skillet, combine the scallions, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, water, rosemary, garlic, and hot-pepper sauce. Mix well. Add the shredded turkey and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until heated through.

Divide the turkey mixture along the bottom halves of the sandwich buns. Top with the coleslaw and the bun tops.

Smoked Turkey, Black Bean, Bell Pepper And Corn Salad

justingirl1989 — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:24:56 -0700

Summer is the perfect time for quick meals that require no heat. In this delicious no-cook recipe, the smoked turkey adds protein, making for a more complete (and filling!) meal.

Ingredients:

3 cups (about 3/4 lb) diced, cooked smoked turkey breast
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup diced bell peppers (any colors)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3 cups arugula Dressing
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (plus leaves for garnish)
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp sherry (or balsamic) vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
Directions:

Combine turkey, beans, corn, tomatoes, bell peppers and onion in a bowl.
Whisk all dressing ingredients in another bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Add dressing to turkey mixture and toss to combine. Divide arugula among 4 plates and top with turkey salad.
Nutrition Facts:

282 calories per serving 5.9 g fat (0.5 g saturated) 37.2 g carbs 8.7 g fiber 24.3 g protein

http://fitceleb.imnotobsessed.com/2008/07/28/smoked-turkey-black-bean-be...

Turkey Scallopini with Capers and Lemon

Bettyesque — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 12:27:52 -0800

1 1/2 pounds (1/4-inch thick) sliced raw turkey cutlets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Fresh sage and rosemary leaves, for garnish, optional

Pat turkey dry and season with salt and pepper. Dredge half of turkey slices in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook turkey until browned on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, covered. Dredge and cook remaining turkey with another 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in same manner.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and cook garlic over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth and deglaze over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits. Boil until broth is reduced to about 3/4 cup. Stir in lemon juice, capers, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add butter and swirl with a whisk until a smooth sauce is formed. Return turkey to skillet with any juices on platter and simmer until heated through, about 1 minute. Garnish with sage and rosemary leaves.

Burning Question: Does Turkey Really Make You Sleepy?

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:00:58 -0800

This age-old claim is both fact as well as fiction. Turkey does contain tryptophan, an amino acid that often converts to serotonin, a sleep-regulating neurotransmitter. But in order to truly experience the side effects of tryptophan, one would need to eat copious amounts of turkey on an empty stomach.

Tryptophan can be found to some degree in red meat, eggs, fish, poultry - virtually every animal product. And in reality, few people eat solely turkey at a Thanksgiving meal. Most of us also eat massive quantities of sides, such as stuffing, mashed potatoes, and yams. These carbohydrate-heavy foods trigger the pancreas to produce insulin, which blocks energy. Combine this "food-coma" effect with a few too many glasses of wine and football on the couch, and you're in for quite a sleepy night, turkey or no turkey.

Source