DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0116
88
TURKISH CHIFLIK.
[Chap. v.
The chiflik was a fail- specimen of a farm-house or resi-
dence of a Turkish country gentleman. We entered by
a large court-yard, on each side of which were low build-
ings and stables for horses and cattle, with a small foun-
tain in the centre. At the further end was the dwelling,
where a crazy wooden staircase led to an open gallery,
ornamented with carved wood and arabesque paintings,
from which three or four rooms opened in different direc-
tions ; for it is a peculiarity in Turkish architecture, that
no two rooms should communicate with each other.* The
rooms generally contain two rows of windows, as was the
case here; the lower ones square and plain, and intended
to be opened; the upper ones smaller, of a horse-shoe
shape, filled with stained or painted glass, and always kept
closed. The walls were painted with arabesques and land-
scapes, and the ceilings were richly ornamented.
In his anxiety to show us every attention in his power,
the Agha insisted on our dining with him; and our curiosity
to see a Turkish dinner got the better of our repugnance to
the necessity of eating with our fingers, and dipping them
into a greasy dish with those of half-a-dozen grey-bearded
Turks. We got through it however tolerably well; some
of their dishes, although not delicate, are decidedly savoury,
and there was no want of variety. The real objection to a
Turkish dinner is the unphilosophical manner in which
they mix meats and sweets, pastry and stews. The Turks
are enormous devourers of food, and will swallow three or
four dinners one after the other without hesitation; but they
cat without system or judgment, for the mere sake of eat-
ing, and not for the more refined pleasure which the Gourmet
of Paris derives from the palatable qualities or agreeable
taste of his food.
But enough of Turkish gormandizing. I will only re-
mark how often I was reminded of the observation of
* For a description of the regularity and principles on which Turkish rooms are
constructed, see Urquhart's 'Spirit of the East,' vol. ii.
TURKISH CHIFLIK.
[Chap. v.
The chiflik was a fail- specimen of a farm-house or resi-
dence of a Turkish country gentleman. We entered by
a large court-yard, on each side of which were low build-
ings and stables for horses and cattle, with a small foun-
tain in the centre. At the further end was the dwelling,
where a crazy wooden staircase led to an open gallery,
ornamented with carved wood and arabesque paintings,
from which three or four rooms opened in different direc-
tions ; for it is a peculiarity in Turkish architecture, that
no two rooms should communicate with each other.* The
rooms generally contain two rows of windows, as was the
case here; the lower ones square and plain, and intended
to be opened; the upper ones smaller, of a horse-shoe
shape, filled with stained or painted glass, and always kept
closed. The walls were painted with arabesques and land-
scapes, and the ceilings were richly ornamented.
In his anxiety to show us every attention in his power,
the Agha insisted on our dining with him; and our curiosity
to see a Turkish dinner got the better of our repugnance to
the necessity of eating with our fingers, and dipping them
into a greasy dish with those of half-a-dozen grey-bearded
Turks. We got through it however tolerably well; some
of their dishes, although not delicate, are decidedly savoury,
and there was no want of variety. The real objection to a
Turkish dinner is the unphilosophical manner in which
they mix meats and sweets, pastry and stews. The Turks
are enormous devourers of food, and will swallow three or
four dinners one after the other without hesitation; but they
cat without system or judgment, for the mere sake of eat-
ing, and not for the more refined pleasure which the Gourmet
of Paris derives from the palatable qualities or agreeable
taste of his food.
But enough of Turkish gormandizing. I will only re-
mark how often I was reminded of the observation of
* For a description of the regularity and principles on which Turkish rooms are
constructed, see Urquhart's 'Spirit of the East,' vol. ii.