SEE IT, SHOOT IT, PRINT IT

The simit (by its Turkish name), which is also known as a koulouri (κουλουρι) throughout the Greek speaking world, is a popular quick snack, sold nowadays from glass covered carts by ubiquitous street vendors. It is made from a circular ring of bread abundantly topped with sesame seeds and the simit seller has long been a common sight in the city streets of both Turkey and Greece. I photographed this one walking down a street in Fethiye on his way to stock up his street stall. Istanbul claims to be the home of the finest simit in the world, countless simit bakeries having established themselves there over some hundreds of years.

The traditional ingredients for simit commonly include flour, butter, eggs, olive oil, milk and, naturally, sesame seeds to go on top and their preparation is relatively quick and simple. There are variations on the recipe including the Armenian simit and other menus that merely take their inspiration from the sesame seed and bread combination. The simit differs significantly from the bagel, which it resembles, in its firm texture, thinner bread and larger central space.The Armenian simit is known in Izmir simply as gevrek which means crisp. Simit, as this name suggests, is at its best when the bread is fresh and crispy.