Simit

Istanbul, Turkey — documented in Ottoman records from the 16th century; the simitçi trolley is a permanent fixture of Istanbul street culture

Istanbul's iconic circular bread covered in sesame seeds is produced by rolling yeasted dough into a loop, dipping in pekmez (grape molasses) diluted with water to create a sticky coating, then rolling in raw sesame seeds before baking until deep amber and crunchy. The pekmez dip is the defining technique: the molasses sugars caramelise rapidly during baking, creating a crackly, lacquered, slightly sweet exterior crust that adheres the sesame seeds permanently and distinguishes simit from plain sesame breads. The interior crumb is chewy and open. Simits are sold by street vendors (simitçi) from large red trolleys across Istanbul; they are eaten for breakfast with tea, white cheese, and olives. The Istanbul version is crunchy; Ankara simit is softer and bread-like — a contested regional distinction.

Breakfast staple eaten with tea, beyaz peynir, and olives; also midday snack or afternoon with tea; best eaten within an hour of baking when the sesame crust is at peak crunch; slightly stale simit is often dunked in tea