Sandwiches

The Trade Ministry has declared that gram weight information should be embedded in the tariff and pricing lists for hamburger, döner and İskender kebab in a bid to deliver customers comprehensive and explicit information.

A nationwide uproar has erupted over a popular meatball chain after the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry's food inspections revealed that some of its meat dishes contained pork.

Beef and chicken glisten as they rotate slowly on vertical spits before they are carved off in razor-thin strips. Two cooks slide from a sizzling griddle to a warm toaster in a practiced dance. Mounds of fresh tomatoes, cabbage and red onions shine in a colorful tableau.

The German Food and Agriculture Ministry has lodged an objection with the European Union regarding Türkiye's application to register döner kebab as its traditional dish.

In April, the Istanbul-based International Döner Federation, representing döner producers in Türkiye, applied to the EU to obtain "traditional specialty guaranteed" status for this Turkish delicacy.

Inevitably, last week, the agenda, especially for Turkish people in Berlin was completely occupied by football and döner kebab. Those two topics are strangely intertwined. While the excitement of the European Football Championship is at its peak, the döner closely follows football in Germany. Not a day goes by without a news item about döner appearing in German newspapers.

Türkiye's application to register döner kebab as a traditional Turkish product with the European Union has sparked reactions from Germany.

The International Döner Kebab Federation in Istanbul has filed the application, aiming to both recognize döner as a Turkish product and protect its production standards.

From official visits to discussions about trademarks and economic policies, "döner," an indispensable meat dish cooked on a rotisserie, has been at the forefront of the political agenda in Türkiye, Greece and Germany.

Döner has become the talk of the town lately. Some claim that it has "changed the face of a nation," while others see it as a sign of cultural integration. First gaining popularity in Germany during the 1970s, döner spread throughout Europe, gradually evolving from a popular fast food into a political symbol.

Türkiye takes a critical step toward culinary recognition as the European Union enlists "döner," a quintessential taste of Turkish cuisine, as a "traditional specialty guaranteed" in the EU Official Journal.

The announcement marks the beginning of a three-month objection before the product's official recognition.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on April 22 arrived in Istanbul as he embarked on a three-day tour to Türkiye, marking his first visit to the country in his seven-year duty as the head of the state.

Istanbul Governor Davut Gül, German Ambassador to Ankara Jürgen Schulz and Turkish Ambassador to Berlin Ahmet Başar Şen welcomed Steinmeier at Istanbul Airport.