When thinking about bazaars in Istanbul, it’s the Grand Bazaar which immediately springs to mind. However, its smaller sister, the spice market, is well worth a visit. Less confusing and a little less crowded and noisy than the Kapalicarsi, a stroll through the Misir Carsisi reveals unknown varieties of Turkish Delight, literally mountains of spices and invites the visitor to taste and try an infinity of samples.
Getting to Istanbul’s Spice Market
The spice market is located in Eminonu right behind the New Mosque (or Yeni Camii) not far from the Galata Bridge. For visitors who are staying in the historical Sultanahmed district, as many are, the market is best reached by the #36 tramway, heading in Eminonu direction. Helpfully, the sign boards inside the tram add the words “spice market” in brackets to the Turkish name Misir Carsisi, so nobody will get lost.
General tram fare is TYL 1.50 and the visitor buys tokens before boarding. They are available at any booth at major tram stops and change is given. Getting off at the appropriate stop, the visitor crosses the busy road along the Golden Horn by way of an underpass and alights at the steps of the New Mosque, then walks along the wall and enters the spice market.
Layout of the Misir Carsisi
As opposed to the Grand Bazaar which features over 100 alleys, the spice market basically only has three. Although right at the entrance some general stalls and jewelers are to be found, here it’s all about spices, sweets and cheeses. Walking straight ahead past the few jewelers who try to entice the visitor into their Aladdin”s caves, the veritable mountains of spices in all colors immediately capture the eye and nose. Vendors, in traditional oriental fashion, call out to the visitor, praise their merchandise and invite to a tasting. However, as one doesn’t really want to lick a pinch of strong, black pepper, the sweets and cheese stalls are more attractive in that respect.
Turkish Delight Variations in the Spice Market
The western world usually has a concept of Turkish Delight as a sweet and sticky mixture of rose water, starch and sugar. Although that concoction, also known as ‘Lokum” is the basic, there are many more varieties to it. Rose water is substituted by fruit juice, pieces of kiwi, orange, banana and every other fruit are added as well as a variety of nuts and almonds.
Another speciality are fresh or dried figs, stuffed with walnuts and dusted with sugar or sprinkled with honey. The mischievous merchant will call out: “Try Turkish viagra,” because figs are considered as an aphrodisiac.
On to the cheeses. Goat and sheep cheeses prevail, again with added pieces of walnut or pistachio. The merchants are extremely generous with their samples and by the time the visitor has feasted his eyes and palate, he will be grateful to sit down in one of the many cafes and have a Turkish coffee and maybe a sip of Raki to help digest all the delights in his stomach.
