They Don't Eat Turkey in Turkey.

That's true; I was there, and not a turkey was to be seen anywhere. You see, turkeys aren't from Turkey.  They originated in North America. When introduced to Europe they were considered exotic, and exotic birds were thought to come from Asian countries. So, they became known as turkeys.

Of course Porky Pig and all other "oinkers" are safe as well, since Turkey is a Moslem country, and Moslems don't eat pork. They do eat sheep though; shish-ka-bobs, sheep meat, or baby sheep meat grilled on skewers.  It's mighty tasty. The meat is from long-tailed sheep, although I'm not sure I can distinguish the difference between long-tailed and short-tailed sheep meat. Kinda like trying to tell if your burger was made of Herford or Santa Gertrudis beef.

Sheep meat is served in a lot of stews as well.  I don't know why the Turks eat a lot of stews.  Maybe it's because they have a limited number of cooking pots, I'm not sure. In some places you have fish, primarily near one of the five bodies of water that border Turkey. Fish is cooked with the head on. My dear wife refuses to eat a fish that is looking at her. However, most lovers of fish like me believe that the more intact a fish is when cooked the better the flavor.

What the Turks serve a lot of is vegetables, including many varieties of beans and squashes. There are zucchinis and pumpkins as well as others. They boil 'em, roast 'em, grill 'em, and of course put 'em in stews. Not any of these squashes are known for their robust flavor, but, the Turks excel in their use of spices.  Even the most boring slice of zucchini can be "kicked up a notch" (I got that from Emeril Lagasse.) with herbs and spices. Cumin, saffron, nutmeg, garlic, cinnamon, and others are for sale in large containers at the outdoor markets. I'll bet there are a hundred different ways to fix zucchini, and every one of them is tasty. We enjoyed a number of soups for lunch. A bowl of soup was usually about 4.5 Turkish Lira. But at one place they charged  

us 9.5 TL. (I guess they saw the big gold tour bus coming and hiked up the price.)  We had bulgar wheat, lentil, and chickpea soup.  I especially like the chickpeas cooked in olive oil and paprika. There were a great variety of breads as well, but, alas, no cornbread. You see, the Turks don't eat corn.  A French influence?  The pastries are delightful and too numerous to name, many with honey, figs, and dates.  At our hotels' breakfast buffets there would be over fifty different pastries, many the size ofhors d'oeuvres.  

I would be remiss, no, very remiss, if I did not mention Turkish yogurt. I like yogurt, and I hope this fact does not damage my "macho" image.  It's good for you, and and tastes good.  Even Jamie Lee Curtis agrees with me about this. Turkish yogurt is extremely thick and rich.  You can stick a spoon in it, and it will stand up straight.  Flip your plate upside down, and it won't fall off. Mix local honey straight from the comb with it, add some poppy seeds, and it is a treat fit for the gods. They eat a lot of good food in Turkish Asia-Minor, but don't look for turkey on the menu.

Afterthought: Beverages in Turkey usually consist of water (which you cannot drink), tea, and coffee. Tea is strong and sweet, and is usually served in a small glass for 2 TL. Bottled water is available.  Even though Turkey is a Moslem country, and drinking alcohol is against the teachings of Islam, beer and wine are available. I found "Efes" beer compatible with mainstream American lagers. The local high octane beverage is called raki.  It is a clear odorless liquid that I'm sure would burn with a pale blue flame. There is a reason they offer it accompanied with water.