Enjoy Sea Salt Encrusted Baked Fish along the Turkish Coast
Queen of Datca Chef & The Salt Encased Fish
What could be more natural and tasty than a freshly caught Adriatic fish baked in a sea salt covering and served, where else….on deck on your Gulet charter along the southern coast of Turkey? Part of the cuisine of several countries, salt encrusted baked fish is often done in Turkey and is a delightful treat when anchored in a secluded harbor floating on turquoise colored waters. Recently on the 115’ Gulet Queen of Datca in Marmaris, Turkey, we were treated to this delicacy. Encased and baked in the salt, the fish retains natural moisture, while the salt absorbs any steam so that the fish bakes gently in its own moisture rather than being steamed. And the final presentation can’t be beat, as the fish comes to the table in its salt encasement, which is “cracked” with a flourish to reveal the moist tender fish inside.
Start the day out right on your Turkish Gulet charter along the southern coast of Turkey with the fresh fruits, vegetables and foods that Turkey is known for. Turkish Cuisine is built around fresh ingredients especially fresh, vine and tree ripened fruits and vegetables that exude the sun kissed essence of being naturally ripened. Breakfast foods of your choice are always available, but why not enjoy a Turkish breakfast while cruising along this lovely Turkish coast.
Missy Johnston of Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters is attending the 2010 Marmaris Yacht Charter Show in Marmaris, Turkey. “Each year the yacht charter options available in Turkey increase in quality,” says Johnston. “It is always a great pleasure to come to this show and see the work done every winter to keep and improve the quality of the yachts available for charter in this great cruising area.”
The Turkish Gulet and yacht charter, an exceptional charter value.
Turkish Gulets on charter along the Turkish Coast
A traditional Turkish working vessel, the Turkish Gulet is now being built for yacht charter along the southern coast of Turkey. Twenty years ago or so, the Turkish Gulet for charter was a new concept, which has now evolved into a luxury charter vessel offering an exceptional charter value. And the charter location is nothing short of exceptional as well, through the crystal clear waters of southern Turkey along the ancient trading routes. Here at Northrop and Johnson Yacht Charters, we have been to Turkey dozens of times and love this charter option and cruising location, especially for the value offered for the price. Read the rest of this entry »
The age old Turkish Bath or Hamam, as it is often referred, is a traditional part of Turkish culture that is a treat to experience when chartering along the coast of Turkey. Believed to actually be related to the ancient Greek and Roman baths, the Hamam has now evolved into a specific cultural tradition that is all Turkish. The Turkish Bath was perfected by the Selcuk Turks who developed this traditional Hamam bathing in answer to Islamic religious views on the importance of cleanliness, however the Hamam soon developed into far more than a bathing location, and quickly became the social and political center of daily life, or the golf course or men’s club of yesteryear. And women were not excluded from the bathing or social aspect of the Haman experience, but the sexes were separated as they are even today in a traditional Haman. Read the rest of this entry »
At one point, from the 13th to the 15th centuries the Crusades made a permanent mark on the landscape in the Dodecanese Islands of Greece and the shoreline of Turkey. The various order of Knights including the Knights Templar and the Knights Hospitallier, built a large castle with a walled complex on the Greek Island of Rhodes and an outpost castle and walled complex in Turkey in Bodrum, in order to control the waters between these two locations, which was a very important trading route. Believing that they were spreading a greater good, the Knights built these complexes, which still stand today as a testament to the belief in Christianity as the one religion for all. Today on charter between Rhodes and Bodrum, there is a castle complex to explore at either end of this itinerary. Read the rest of this entry »
Once again we attended the Marmaris Yacht Charter Festival to see our favorite charter yachts and Gulets in Turkey, renew crew friendships and to see new additions to the charter market for the southern coast of Turkey. We were very pleased with the show this year and pleased with a number of the yachts and Gulets that we saw. There were over 60 yachts and Gulets entered into the show, so we were kept very busy. Read further for our thoughts and overview on this show and the yachts and Gulets that we loved. Read the rest of this entry »
Whether you begin, end or just visit while on charter, Bodrum, Turkey is a great port to include in your yacht charter itinerary. Not only is there a good anchorage, there is stern to dockage available along the quay and a large marina. And, if you want to be slightly out of town, there are three additional marinas available. We prefer to be in town though, as where else can you anchor or dock in the lee of a medieval castle, built by the Knights Hospitaller? And right next to the castle is the Bazaar with its many shops and fresh seafood restaurants with seating overlooking the anchorage. However in our mind, the highlight is touring the Castle which houses an Underwater Marine Archaeology Museum with artifacts excavated from various shipwrecks in the nearby waters. We just toured the Castle and Museum for the third time and continue to be amazed and see something new each time Read the rest of this entry »
The ruins of Knidos, Turkey or Cnidos, an ancient city of Hellenic, Roman and Byzantine cultures, are located just on the very tip of the Datca Peninsula in Turkey. With the ancient harbor still intact, you can cruise right into one side of the ancient harbor, anchor and wander these extensive ruins, literally “in the wild”. We just visited Knidos, and anchored in the ancient harbor overnight while cruising on the Gulet Mare Nostrum from Marmaris to Bodrum. And for a magical evening, dined on deck with the marble of the ancient ruins and amphitheatre gleaming in the moonlight around us. In the morning, we went ashore and wandered through these extensive ruins just sitting in situ as they have for centuries. Read the rest of this entry »
Hidden back in the original village of Datca, about a 5 minute drive from the new coastal town of Datca, Turkey, surrounded by privacy walls is the luxury hotel Mehmet Ali Aga Konagi. The hotel is housed in a Turkish mansion, built originally in 1809 by Mehmet Ali, who was the wealthiest person in the Datca Peninsula. The mansion was allowed to deteriorate until the early 2000, when the property was bought and renovated into the hotel that it is today. Many of the original details were kept, including the wall and ceiling paintings, and the rooms are furnished with antiques. Inside the original mansion is still the family Turkish Bath, still in use today, heated by wood fires. We visited, were shown many of the rooms and the Turkish Bath and had a lovely lunch of traditional Turkish foods. We recommend this as a stop for lunch or dinner or even a Turkish Bath on any itinerary that includes Datca. Read the rest of this entry »
