What is Keşkek?

Keşkek is pronounced /kesh-kek/ in English. It is a hearty porridge-like dish that people in Western Turkey serve at weddings, circumcision celebrations, and religious holidays. Keşkek is made of cracked wheat or barley and meat or chicken. I had it with chicken and it was delicious. For special events, people prepare Keşkek over an open fire in a large cauldron, called kazan in Turkish. The cooks mash and stir the ingredients together with large wooden spoons. Usually, volunteers take turns stirring because it’s such a labor-intensive task.

Keşkek was inscribed in 2011 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Learn more about Keşkek at the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage site.