My new bread obsession

Plus: a Venezuelan classic in the works

Author

Julius Fiedler
October 10, 2025

Gevrek (Sesame-Crusted Bread Rings)

A stack of İzmır’s iconic breads

With a Turkish name that literally means “crispy,” you can guess what’s coming. The first time I bit into Gevrek, pulled from the oven in İzmır’s busiest bakery only seconds earlier, I couldn’t believe something so simple could taste so good. Even without the usual accompaniments - Acuka (a spiced tomato and pepper paste) or Tahin Pekmez (a mix of tahini and grape molasses) - Gevrek held its ground. You can watch the experience in my İzmır YouTube episode:

Making them is quite simple too. What sets them apart from its more widely-known cousin Simit is a quick dip into hot grape molasses before baking. This not only helps the sesame seeds cling but also gives the bread its dark crust and that unmistakable crackle. In İzmır, the sound of that crunch is as much a part of the morning as the sight of tulip-shaped tea glasses on every table.

In case you make many, like I did, you can always freeze them. Just pop one into the oven at 160°C for 8-10 minutes and it will emerge as though you’d baked it fresh that morning.

Shaping the Gevrek before their molasses dip

From the Test Kitchen

Arepas (Venezuelan Corn Breads)

These corn breads are a staple in both Venezuela and Colombia, often found at street stalls, split open and stuffed to the brim with all sorts of fillings. I’m leaning toward the Venezuelan version, filled with slow-cooked black beans known as Caraotas Negras and a punchy avocado salsa called Guasacaca.

The Archive

Restaurant‑Style Dal Tadka (Smoky Indian Lentils)

The dal is delicious, but the real star is the tadka, a fragrant mix of oil, cumin seeds, garlic and plenty of Kashmiri chilli powder.

Sarımsaklı Köfte (Turkish Bulgur Balls in Tomato Sauce)

The most scrumptious Turkish recipe with bulgur balls, each with little dimples clearly designed to hold extra garlicky tomato sauce.

I’m really looking forward to sharing my Arepa recipe with you soon. The corn breads on their own are a treat but add in the black bean filling and the fresh avocado salsa and they turn into something I could happily eat on repeat. Not long now until you can too.

Have a good one!

Much love,
Julius