I was talking with Brad Mcmillan-'64, he says he used to eat those Smit's all the time, from the yelling street vendors. Saaamiiit Saaamiiitaaaa Remember that? I never had one of those things, but ate lots of other things, like bakery goods and food from local establishments. I never got the Turkey Trots, as they say, did anyone else venture out on the economy?

okay, Wray, your rendition of the "Se-mitttaaaaa!" guy totally brought back a vivid memory. My family ate out on "the economy" a lot--I was a picky eater, but even I found lots I liked. My favorites were sis kebab and pilav(and ekmek). When we first moved to Turkey we stayed at the Kent Hotel--did anybody else? We felt like rich people there, with several waiters hovering around us at dinner time. I also remember eating fresh fish when we drove down the Mediterranean coast. I do remember it took me awhile to get used to the taste of lamb. And one time when we had first arrived in Turkey, we were having dinner at a Turkish restaurant and the waiter brought my little brother something he thought was a vanilla milkshake--nope, it was "ayran"--that watered-down yogurt drink....he was very disappointed to say the least...

The local Persian Market in Van Nuys has "Tan" but I was horrified at the 600 MG of sodium.....They taste great but I might not live the week. And I found a recipe for Simits if anyone wants it. I also found a local bakery (Now defunct) that sold them as Jeruselam Bagels. Beside Simits rememer the Old clothes sellers that would come down Chankaya yelling Eskageeeeeeeeeee and the wintertime drink sellers yelling OOOOooooo BuuuzoooooooOO!

Hey Karl,

Just, a couple of weeks ago now, we had a mini in Berkeley, CA. It was at a Turkish place called the Bosphorus, we had some OOOOooooooo BuuuuzsuuuuuuUUU! There and ask for it by name too. I'll never forget that sound. I wonder if I could make a living doing that today. Just get some kind of container, hold the ICE in there, and some water. Going down the street, yelling Iceeeeeeee Watterrrrrrrrr! I wonder what the life expectancy on that would be?

I never eat the smita's, but eat alot of other things. I had disenatia in the 9th grade lost 30 plus pounds and missed a month of school. The Anerican hospital did not have a clue what was wrong with me for a few days. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...they shot me up with everything they had, but the Gamigoblin (SP) was the worse, my right butt cheek hurt for months after and sitting was difficult.

I was hospitalized too for a couple of weeks end of my sophomore year for a "stomach ailment." They never figured out what it was.

I've encountered simits in several places - including a Greek bakery in Detroit - but none ever quite had the flavor of the ones from the street vendors. I once saw a boy get bumped by a cab - dumping his tray all over the ground. He calmly picked them up, rearranged them, and went on his way! I too, was lucky enough to avoid Ataturk's revenge. My favorite food was doner kebab (umlaut over the O). Does anyone remember Kara Bira? It wasn't bad ice cold. How about evenings at the Karasel night club?

I used to go to the old part of the city, Ulus, and get doner kebab and sicak cai (hot tea). Also used to get hot pistachio (sp) nuts from the street vender. Got to have that ekmek!

Well, I see everyone seemed to have a story like this, but I never ate anything from the guy who dropped those Smits, or any of his buddies either. I just couldn't go there. I really did enjoy the bakery goods instead, and that was probably the same thing, just like the street vendors, but in a store instead.

I don't remember the shouting street vendors, but I ate everything. I remember living at the Kent for a few weeks, and having dinner there one night when I bit into this long green pepper. The hottest thing I've ever had in my life - and I'm a consumer Habanera today!

I learned to really love the taste of lamb and yogurt and the Arab bread. I rearly find it in the US - but do sometimes at Greek restaurants. There is a Turkish restaurant in Lake Hiawatha, Northern NJ that I enjoy from time to time. Pretty authentic stuff - and they speak Turkish!

And the solution to 2 years of the runs, turned out to be a pill, sort of a capsule, shaped like a wafer, but in two pieces and looked about 1/2" thick. You couldn't eat the powder inside alone and live, so you HAD to swollow the container. It was about the only thing that worked. Oh yes, belladonna. Yes, the poison. Was it 3 drops in a small glass of water, or was it 12? Probably paralyzed the peristalses of the small intestine. I wonder what the long term effects of using that stuff is?

So much for memory lane. I always thought Turkey was a great experience; everyone should do it once, and never go back. I'm sure others feel differently. I was glad to have done it, after I left.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Alan Kashdan '63:
So much for memory lane. I always thought Turkey was a great experience; everyone should do it once, and never go back. I'm sure others feel differently. I was glad to have done it, after I left.

---

It was a great experience. Often I didn't realize it as it was happening. And after reading some of the changes that have occured at Balgat and Ankara in general I agree that not going back might be the best thing. Spoils the memories.

Now about this restaurant. I'm 10 miles south of Trenton. My father used to live near Johnsonburg, NJ (Hope/Blairstown area). Where is it located in Lake Hiawatha? I might be able to talk my wife into the ride sometime.

Easy to find. 287 North to Route 80 East -- one or two exits to Lake Hiawatha Exit. Go left at the light, follow road across rt 46 into Lake Hiawatha. The resaurant is on the right.

Bosphorus Restaurant
32 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034
(973) 335-9690

P.S.
Let me know when you might be going - might be fun meeting up.

Anyone else in the area interested?????

Yep, I ate smits, and Turkish ice cream, and yogurt and cheese and just about everything else that was on offer--great food, great flavors. I never got sick and thank my time in Turkey for the boost to my immuno-system. I've only missed about 5 days of work in the last 30 years due to illness, including the 9 years I taught in an Eskimo village in Alaska where there were active cases of TB and Hep A. I've traveled to lots of off-the-beaten-track places, and I've never been sick.
Sheila Gaquin, class of '67

I NEVER ATE A SMIT, ALTHOUGH I DID EAT LOTS OF OTHER FOOD FROM THE MARKET PLACES AROUND TURKEY. REASON I AVOIDED THE SMIT IS BECAUSE, I WATCH SOME STREET URCHINS PLAYING OUTSIDE THE USAID GUEST HOUSE WHERE I WAS STAYING. ONE WAS HAD SET DOWN HIS TRAY OF SMIT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SELLING. THEY WERE PLAYING KING OF THE MOUNTAIN ON THIS MANURE PILE. THE GAME STOPPED WHEN THEY ROLLED INTO THE TRAY OF SMIT AND SCATTERING THE ROLLS. THEY JUST PICKED UP THE SMIT, DUSTED THEM OFF, AND THE YOUNG FELLOW WENT ON HIS WAY TO SELL HIS WARES.