Therefore, if in the summer, I
should advise any man to go to the Summer Palace Hotel at Therapia, a
few miles from the city, on the Bosphorus, which is perfectly
delightful, and to run into Constantinople by river steamer to visit the
mosques, bazaars, etc.--but this by the way.
The best restaurant in Constantinople is Tokatlian's, in the Rue de
Pera; it is very good but expensive, for all wines, spirits, etc.,
coming into Turkey have to pay a heavy duty. There is a strong native
wine of a sauterne character made in Turkey, also Duzico, a sort of
Kuemmel liqueur, not bad, and Mastic, another _chasse_, especially
nasty. You can obtain Turkish dishes at Tokatlian's. The Turkish
_kahabs_ and _pilaffs_ of chicken are good, but their appearance is not
appetising and they are too satisfying. A little rice and beef, rather
aromatic in taste, is wrapped round with a thin vine leaf, in balls the
size of a walnut, and eaten either hot or cold. This is called _Yalandji
Dolmas_. _Yaourt_ or _Lait Caille_ is a milk curd, rather like what is
called _Dicke Milch_ in Germany. _Aubergines_ are eaten in every form;
one method of cooking them, and that one not easily forgotten, is to
smother a cold _aubergine_ in onion, garlic, salt, and oil; this is
named _Ymam Bayldi_.
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