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Local chefs bring the heat to the table using a variety of chile peppers and techniques. Fermented chiles, kimchi and carrots on display at Chancho King are used in most of the menu options at this Ecuadorian restaurant in Murray Hill. Photography by Amanda Rosenblatt. Food enthusiasts are clamoring for global cuisines infused with bold and unusual flavors. At the same time, innovative chefs are incorporating a wide variety of spicy ingredientsto pique diners’ palates. Whether it’s the smoky, earthy flavor that pequin peppers bring to Latin cuisines, the zesty birdseye chile used in Thai dishes or locally grown datilpeppers adding a touch of sweet and heat, there are exciting culinary experiences to be found at local restaurants. Spicy stir-fried shrimp in red curry sauce with herbs, peppercorns, Krachai, bird’s eye chiles, kaffir lime leaves and basil leaves. Photography by Sindy Gonzalez. For intensely flavorful and spicy dishes, Thai cuisine is the place to start. Thai restaurants even offer diners the option to select how spicy a dish will be. At Simply Tasty Thai in Mayport, chiles feature prominently in just about everything on their menu and include bird's eye, serrano and sweet pepper. Whether they're fresh or dried, green or red, stirfried or dry roasted, this place uses them all. A highlight is their house-made nam prik pao, a time-honored sweet and spicy chile paste that features prominently in tom yum (hotand sour soup), kai pad med ma muang himmapan (Thai cashew chicken) and kung pad cha (spicy shrimp stir fry). For something truly spicy at Chancho King, ask for a cup of their "hot hot" ají on the side. Photography by Amanda Rosenblatt. Chancho King in Murray Hill serves flavor-forward fermented vegetables in their Ecuadorian cuisine. One look at their wall of fermenting chiles, kimchi and carrots and you'llknow they're serious about adding flavor bombs to each dish. While Ecuadorian dishes are not as spicy as other South American foods, Chancho King’s pork sandwich, servedwith both hot pepper ají (Peruvian chile pepper) and mild tomato ají (a spicy sauce containing ají peppers), is praiseworthy. For something truly spicy, ask for a cup of their "hothot" ají on the side. Barbacoa enmoladas at Oaxaca Club in Jacksonville Beach features a mole made with 10 different varieties of peppers. Photography by Cole LoCurto. Jacksonville Beach’s Oaxaca Club keeps an impressive assortment of chiles on hand, infusing layers of spice into everything they make. Their mole is made with 10 differentkinds of peppers, including guajillo, pasilla, serrano, pequin and chilcosle, along with 21 other ingredients. It’s the foundation for many of the restaurant’s dishes, most notablybarbacoa enmoladas. For a little extra kick, try a spicy margarita made with pepper-infused tequila rimmed with house-made Tajín: a combination of guajillo, morita and pequinpeppers and salt. Key West shrimp cocktail at Cordova Coastal Chophouse features datil peppers, a regional chile that's popular in St. Augustine. Photography by Melissa Marcarelli. Northeast Florida is the epicenter for datil peppers. Closely associated with the Minorcan community who came to Florida in the 1760s, datils have become a proud part of St. Augustine's agricultural and culinary heritage. At the Cordova Coastal Chophouse and Bar in the Casa Monica Hotel, locally grown datil peppers are embraced for theirbright, vibrant color, distinctive flavor, spicy zest and sweetness. These little peppers appear in the restaurant's Key West shrimp cocktail as well as charred broccolini.

Use this simple syrup in Blackberry Lavender Lemonade, for adults only. Photography by Justin Snavely. Makes 2 cups Ingredients 1 cup water 1 cup demerara sugar 2 cups fresh blackberries 2 grams dried lavender blooms Instructions Bring water and sugar to a quick boil but do not allow it to caramelize or burn. Place blackberries in 16-ounce mason jar. Place lavender blooms on top of blackberries. While the liquid is still piping hot, ladle into jar over blackberries and lavender. Allow to cool completely and place in refrigerator to steep for a minimum of 24 hours to steep. After steeping, pulse-blend ingredients for 5 seconds in a standard blender and strain immediately. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Steep a batch of blackberry lavender simple syrup when the berries are in season. For a kid-friendly version of this drink, leave out the vodka and add more soda water. Photography by Justin Snavely. Makes 1 cocktail Ingredients 1-1/2 ounces vodka 3/4 ounce lemon juice 3/4 ounce blackberry lavender syrup Ice Soda water Instructions Combine first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake 15 seconds. Pour over fresh ice in a tall glass. Top with soda water.

Traditionally birria is prepared with lamb or goat, but variations using beef short rib, various roasts and almost any type of meat have grown in popularity. This version uses turkey, called pavo in Spanish. Typically the dish starts by seasoning the cuts of meat with salt and pepper, followed by a quick sear, then stewed for a few hours. Because the turkey is already cooked, the first step is to make the broth (caldo) then add the turkey and any bones from the roast. Photography by Nick Hogan. Serves 8-10 Ingredients For the caldo 12 guajillo chiles 2 quarts water 1 large white onion, cut in half 2 small plum tomatoes 10 garlic cloves 1 tablespoon black pepper 7 whole cloves 1 stick cinnamon 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons dried oregano 5 whole bay leaves Whole turkey carcass plus any leftover turkey 5-7 chiles de árbol, optional 1/2 cup vegetable oil For the tacos 1 pack tortillas 1 wheel queso quesadilla, shredded 2 bunches cilantro, chopped 1 small onion, diced 3 limes, cut into wedges Sliced radish, optional Instructions To make the caldo: Remove stems from guajillo chiles. Place water, guajillo chiles, onions, tomatoes, garlic, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, oil and salt into a large sauce pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. With a slotted spoon, scoop out all of the chiles, tomatoes, onions and spices and place in a blender or food processor. Add a ladle of liquid and blend together on high for a minimum of 30 seconds or until smooth. Return the blended liquid to sauce pot. Add the oregano and bay leaves, then reduce to medium low heat (if you’re adding partially or uncooked meat, this is the time to add to the caldo.) If you prefer more spice, you can add 5-7 chiles de árbol. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Check the salt level and add more if desired. Remove the bones from the caldo and discard. Then add cooked and pulled turkey. To make tacos: Take a large skillet, flat top, comal or plancha and bring to a medium-high heat. Take one tortilla at a time, and dip into the sauce pot, covering the tortilla with the bright red oil that should be floating at the top of the caldo. Repeat with each tortilla, keeping them separated. Place 1 tortilla on hot skillet and add shredded queso quesadilla to the center of tortilla. Using a pair of tongs, scoop a generous portion of meat onto the cheese (a touch of the juice along with it is encouraged). Allow tacos to sizzle and sear for a minute. With a spatula and the tongs, fold the tortilla in half and give it a tender press with the spatula to keep it from unfolding. Allow the cheese melting out of the tortillas to sear and get crispy, then flip with the spatula and cook on the other side. Repeat with other tortillas. Transfer the tacos to your serving dish. Give the caldo a good stir and ladle out 4-6 ounces into small bowls for taco-dipping. Top tacos with cilantro and onion. Serve with limes and sliced radishes.

Prepared strawberry shrub syrup can be found at Asado Life restaurant in St. Augustine. Photography by Justin Snavely. Makes 1 cocktail Ingredients For the strawberry shrub syrup 2 pounds fresh sliced strawberries 1 pound granulated sugar 1 cup palm vinegar For the cocktail 1-1/2 ounces Waterloo Old Yaupon Gin 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice 3/4 ounce strawberry shrub syrup 1 ounce strong brewed Berry Bliss Yaupon tea Ice Instructions To make strawberry shrub syrup: Layer strawberries with sugar sprinkled over each layer in a container and cover with a lid or plastic wrap overnight. Strain off strawberries from the syrup and reserve both. Save the strawberries to serve over ice cream. Add palm vinegar to strawberry syrup and refrigerate until ready to use. To make cocktail: Shake all ingredients together with ice. Strain into a tall glass filled with small ice cubes.

What puts the heat in chile peppers? Photography by Wesley Parsons. Ever wonder what makes chile peppers hot? They get their heat from a chemical called “capsaicin,” which causes a burning sensation to occur when exposed to raw tissue. The intensity produced by a particular chile’s capsaicin concentration is quantified using the Scoville scale, a subjective measurement of the amount of dilution in a sugar syrup required to neutralize the heat. The more intense the heat, the higher the Scoville heat units (SHU), with pure capsaicin weighing in at 16,000,000 SHU. Modern tests use the more objective high performance liquid chromatography method to obtain more accurate and reliable measures, but with new peppers reaching heat levels higher than what most humans can tolerate, that kind of precision is often unnecessary. Chile peppers can also be made hotter these days through selective breeding, which has caused self-proclaimed “chili-head” horticulturalists to push the boundaries of science and nature to their literal extremes. Here are a few chiles from around the world ranked in order of their heat level. Some are traditional, some are modern, but all have their place. BELL PEPPER (0 SHU) Found in cuisines around the world, the bell pepper, or sweet pepper, contains a recessive gene that actually prevents the formation of capsaicin altogether. It is often stir-fried or added to curries and forms the basis of Cajun cooking as a member of the “Holy Trinity” of cooking when paired with onion and celery. PIMENTA BIQUINHO (500 - 1,000 SHU) This cute Brazilian chile is bright red and surprisingly sweet with very little heat. Pickled, they are commonly found next to the olives at churrascaria salad bars across the country. POBLANO (1000 - 1500 SHU) A true staple, the poblano is the most ubiquitous chile in Mexican cuisine, taking its name from its homeland of Pueblo. It is most commonly roasted and cut into strips called rajas and used as a filling for everything from tamales to enchiladas. They can be left whole and stuffed to make chiles rellenos or dried to become anchos, which can be ground into powders or toasted and rehydrated to make sauces like the popular mole poblano. JALAPENO (1,000 - 20,000 SHU) The state pepper of Texas, the noble jalapeño is likely the only chile to have flown in outer space. This medium-spicy pepper is often sliced fresh, pickled or grilled (stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon, of course), forming the crux of Tex-Mex cuisine. When smoke-dried, they are known as chipotle peppers. BIRD’S EYE CHILI (100,000 - 225,000 SHU) Sometimes called a Thai chile, this tiny powerhouse is what heats up the spiciest dishes of Southeast Asia. It is common in curries and condiments like sambal or used to spice up Vietnamese soups and stir-fries. DATIL (100,000-300,000 SHU) While grown throughout the country, the datil is mainly produced and most notorious for its roots in St. Augustine, where it was believed to have been brought to the U.S. in the late 18th century. Mature peppers are yellow-orange in color and commonly used in Minorcan recipes. SCOTCH BONNET (100,000 - 400,000 SHU) Often mistaken for and substituted by its close relative the habanero, this tropical variety is predominantly found in the Caribbean where it flavors jerk dishes, giving them their signature heat and sweetness. In Central America, it flavors ceviches where it is known as aji chombo. It gets its name from its resemblance to the traditional tam o’shanter hat. GHOST PEPPER (1,000,000 SHU) Known as Bhut jolokia or red naga in its homeland India, this cultivated varietal held the world record for the hottest chile in the world until it was displaced by the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion in 2012 and subsequent contenders since. Unlike most chilis which store a majority of their capsaicin in the seeds and placenta, the ghost pepper holds it in vesicles throughout the fruit so there’s no escaping its intense heat. Far too hot for normal consumption, it has been known to find its way into pastes and oils that no sane person would ever touch. CAROLINA REAPER (2,200,000 SHU) Until very recently, the Carolina Reaper was the unrivaled hottest pepper in the world. Developed by a horticulturalist in Rock Hill, South Carolina, this ominous-looking pepper is a cross between the aforementioned ghost pepper and the red habanero. Searching this particular breed on YouTube will result in hours-worth of schadenfreude as many have documented their attempts to consume this little fireball with often disastrous results. DRAGON’S BREATH (2,480,000 SHU) In 2017, a new record-breaking chili was bred in Wales. Using a newly developed plant food, the Dragon’s Breath chile, named for the iconic dragon that symbolizes its homeland, is not only incredibly hot, it’s downright deadly. Although no one has yet to orally consume this monster, it is believed that doing so would likely cause the eater to go into anaphylactic shock, possibly shutting down normal body function.

Craft beer bringing new life to an old building in Palatka Andrea Conover stands in front of the revitalized Coca-Cola bottling plant in Palatka. Photography By Shannon Fitzpatrick. Like many visitors to Putnam County, Andrea Conover fell in love with its natural beauty, outdoor recreation and small town charm. “I realized I liked the inland waterways better than the beach, and got really into kayaking the St. Johns River,” says Conover. Just off the river’s banks, Palatka’s streets are lined with historic buildings, including a 1930s Coca-Cola bottling plant that stood vacant from the 1980s until 2020. That’s when Conover gave it new life as Putnam County’s first and only microbrewery, Azalea City Brewing Co. “I moved to Palatka from Ponte Vedra for its nature, access to the Intracoastal and the lower cost of living. It was obvious to me that the town needed revitalization and I kept thinking how someone should open a craft brewery,” Conover says. “I always thought the old Coca-Cola building would be the perfect spot.” After arranging a meeting with the building’s owner, Andrea was able to purchase it and begin a 2-½ -year renovation. Conover’s background in business and environmentalism drove her desire to save an old building as opposed to constructing from scratch. “One of my favorite quotes is, ‘the greenest buildings are the ones already built,’” she says. “There’s so much history in this building. Some of the locals have told us they have memories of high school dances being held here. We are honored to be able to turn it back into something useful.” Conover and her partner Rod Wies repurposed as much as they could of the original building. The white wooden planks seen throughout the brewery’s design and bar were taken from the upstairs drop ceiling, for example. While the partners worked on the logistics of building out a craft brewery in a former warehouse, St. Augustine native and brewer Eli Miranda got to work on the beer. Miranda has a culinary management degree from the Culinary Institute of America and is the master behind the brews, including Azalea City’s two award-winning drafts: the Coffee Cream Ale (winner of the silver medal at the Best Florida Beer competition) and the Hot Blonde Ale (a mango and datil pepper beer taking second place at the 2022 Battle of the Datil competition). During the building’s renovation, Miranda gave out samples of beer to the community, who were patiently waiting for Azalea’s opening. Azalea City Brewing Co. celebrated its two-year anniversary in November 2022 and Conover is excited about the future for both her and Palatka. While the town’s culinary scene is still small, it is expanding as entrepreneurs like Conover head south and west. Palatka is about an hour’s drive from Jacksonville and 40 minutes from St. Augustine, making it a perfect location for expansion. As for the brewery, Conover has more plans for it as well, including a restaurant and event space. “We haven’t been here that long and are so thankful for the locals whose families have been here for decades that have welcomed us,” Conover says. “Some have even brought photographs from their family archives of the building which we now have framed on our wall. I’m just really honored to have this space and contribute to the building’s history.” Azalea City Brewing Co. is family friendly with a pet-friendly outdoor patio. Pair a day exploring Palatka’s unbeatable natural scenery and recreation (Ravine Gardens State Park and Dunns Creek are two of Conover’s favorite spots) with a stop at the brewery for fresh, cold beer on tap, and you’ve got yourself the perfect day trip. It might even have you also consider making the move to Putnam County.

Fresh winter citrus, like grapefruit, makes for the perfect addition to seasonal cocktails. Photography by Amy Robb. Fresh is Best. Maybe. Some say squeezing fresh citrus immediately before use helps retain aromatic compounds and flavor.  However taste tests have shown that flavors of lemon and lime juice may actually improve by letting them sit for four to 10 hours. Why is that? Bitter limonoid compounds, like limonin (in limes) and nomilin (in lemons), tend to develop when the juice is exposed to air, reducing the sourness of the citric acid. Orange juice, however, is best used right after squeezing. Shaken, not Stirred. When using citrus juice in cocktails, it's best to shake it up. When you shake a cocktail, the ice cubes start to break apart and add air bubbles into the drink. This is beneficial to help dilute some of acidity of the citrus, making the cocktail light and refreshing. Twists are A-Peeling. Whether you cut a thick or thin slice of peel, make sure to actually twist it to rupture and release the oils found in the fruit’s skin—this is where the majority of a lemon or lime’s aroma is stored. If the fruit has been washed, you can leave the peel in the drink. For an easy way to remove the skin from the fruit, use a vegetable peeler. Homemade Limoncello. After juicing lemons, save the peels and infuse them in vodka to make your own limoncello. Using the peel from organic lemons, add to 100-proof vodka and let sit for four days to one month (the flavor is stronger the longer you infuse the lemons). Then strain off the vodka and mix in simple syrup to sweeten.

Photography by Nick Hogan. Which sounds more appealing to drink, a shrub or a switchel? If you’re in the know, you might vote to imbibe either of these drinking vinegars. If not, it’s time to get acquainted with these vinegar-based beverages, both on their own and as ingredients to cocktails and other libations. Long considered to have health benefits, vinegar has also been used for preserving food, especially prior to refrigeration.   Shrubs originated centuries ago from preserving fruit in vinegar; the fruit-flavored liquid became a popular beverage. A switchel, also called "haymaker's punch" and "ginger water," is very similar to a shrub; instead of fruit, it is made using fresh ginger. Both drinks are refreshing in a glass of ice, diluted with some sparkling water or club soda. Because of their balance of sweet and acidic, they also make flavorful additions to cocktails, and can be found on local bar menus.

Explore baked goods using common ingredients found in the Philippines, including the vibrant purple ube. Consolacion “Corene” Timmons of Kusina arranges a platter of ensaymada, the café's signature product. Photography by Cole LoCurto. What’s purple, sweet and served at the end of a friend’s dinner party? If your host stopped by one of Northeast Florida’s local Filipino bakeries, chances are it’s a dessert made with ube. As home to the largest Filipino population in Florida, Jacksonville boasts a number of food businesses where adventurous diners can explore baked goods using common ingredients found in the Philippines, including the vibrant purple ube. A type of yam, ube is a "staple in the Filipino kitchen, and used in many bread, dessert and pastry recipes,” explains Florence Bermudes, the owner of Say So Sweets on Beach Boulevard, a sister shop to Marianas Grinds . It has a unique flavor often described as a slightly nutty vanilla. You can find it in everything from mamon (a Filipino mini chiffon cake resembling a cupcake that is a popular afternoon snack) and sans rival cakes (a Filipino layer cake often served on holidays and other special occasions) to donuts and whoopie pies in several places around Jacksonville. “I can’t really say why ube is becoming so popular these days – but I’m really not surprised that it is, because it really is delicious,” says Consolacion “Corene” Timmons of Kusina, a café located in Enterprise Park. “I think ube is one of those foods that has the ability to transcend cultures.” Ariosto Valerio Jr. of The Baker’s Son on Atlantic Boulevard credits social media for the rise in ube’s popularity. “Before, only Filipinos and occasionally, adventurous non-Filipinos, bought it. But now because of its presence in social media, local chefs – both Filipino and non-Filipino – use it in multiple ways.” Besides sweet treats made with ube, other Filipino delicacies have proven popular in Northeast Florida. “Our ensaymada are our signature product,” says Timmons. “Connie [my sister] has spent years perfecting her recipe … They’re so light and so fluffy that they just melt in your mouth and leave you with the sharpness of the cheese, paired with the sweetness of the sugar. Our ensaymada are very traditional. We know that many Filipino bakeries have experimented with the ensaymada form; but we think it’s better to perfect the original. This way the classic ensaymada still expresses the joy that we felt when we first tasted them.” According to Bermudes, “Our most requested Filipino baked good – and the one we are known for – is our ube macapuno cake. I personally think and feel that my [customers] are just so attracted to its color, and when you cut into the cake, people are so curious about the flavor. When you finally try it, you just want to keep eating it, because it's not like your typical cake – you just don't get tired of eating it.” Valerio’s two most popular items are pan de sal and ube basket bread. “Filipinos love their bread and pan de sal has always been popular in the Philippines,” he says. “Due to its social media presence, ube is gaining a lot of exposure and popularity. Now our mainstream customers are eager to try it and end up loving it and coming back for more.” While items featuring ube are bestsellers at each bakery, other flavors and ingredients have become popular among both Filipino and non-Filipino customers, including sweet corn, avocado, coconut, cheese, mocha, chocolate, vanilla and buko pandan (young coconut strings and pandan leaves, which are quite fragrant). “The response from the Filipino community has been so quick. We’ve had such a great response with more and more Filipino traffic in the café each day,” says Timmons. “But, one thing that really surprised us – in a good way – was the response from the non-Filipinos who have come to have their meals with us.” “Part of why we’ve felt so confident in continuing to develop the Filipino side of our menu is the fact that it has been so well received by all of our customers,” says Timmons. “I think that says a lot about Jacksonville and the way that the city has become a place where we can all share this part of ourselves with each other and come together.”

From milk buns to milkshakes, Cookiebird offers classic small batch, artisanal soft serve ice cream with a variety of colorful cones. Mike and Kate Alfieri stand outside their soft serve shop Cookiebird Ice Cream Bar in St. Augustine. Photography by Melissa Marcarelli. Savoring an ice cream cone on a hot day is a form of time travel. It’s a simple moment of joy that makes everyone feel like a kid again. For the owners of Cookiebird Ice Cream Bar , a soft serve ice cream bar nestled in Uptown St. Augustine, that sense of nostalgia is served up along with their twist on a summertime treat. That feeling is underscored by the shop’s art deco accents, from the coral checkerboard walls to the green classic barstools, reminiscent of a retro 1930s soda shop. “The beautiful thing about soft serve ice cream is you have to go out to enjoy it,” says Kate Alfieri, who owns Cookiebird along with her husband Mike. “It’s not like ice cream that you pick up at the supermarket and eat while you sit on your couch at home. The magic is about the memory, the nostalgia and sharing it with the people you love.” From milk buns to milkshakes, Cookiebird offers classic small batch, artisanal soft serve ice cream with a variety of colorful cones like matcha, lavender and orange creamsicle. Like an artist, you design your frozen treat with toppings like graham crackers, Biscoff cookies, rainbow sprinkles or dark chocolate curls. Each creation has its own personality, and every customer can be their own Picasso. The name Cookiebird was the brainchild of the couple's 10-year-old son, Jed. What started out as a project of making homemade ice cream during the pandemic sparked the idea for their first business. Kate, a toy company consultant with a flair for design, and Mike, an artist and former teacher, decided to channel their creativity into learning how to make soft serve ice cream on a professional level, with the intention of creating a simple, curated menu with quality ingredients. Mike enrolled in ice cream school, a sweet gig for any student, with a commitment to finding the perfect recipe to launch their new pursuit. “Food is my love language. It lights me up to see people enjoying what I made,” Mike says. “I decided to take a mixologist approach to soft serve ice cream, experimenting with different flavors and ingredients. It’s about using your imagination. It reminds me of a blank canvas and throwing paint at it. No one is watching or judging you. It’s about stepping out of your comfort zone, learning something new and having fun along the way.” The Alfieris greet customers at the counter with a smile. Their ethos: to have fun and bring joy to everyone who walks through the front door. “I talk to my customers about when they were kids and how they used to go for ice cream with their parents or grandparents after school. We wanted to recreate that feeling and those memories here,” says Kate. There’s a sense of community and love on San Marco Avenue and Cookiebird, a quick stroll from other businesses in the Uptown neighborhood, is in the heart of it. The ice cream bar is a quaint spot where you can sit outside under an Amalfi-style umbrella and enjoy a cone or an Italian inspired milk bun, a sophisticated take on an ice cream sandwich served on a warm brioche with powdered sugar. If you’re looking to beat the heat, snag a seat inside at the bar. “It’s so nice seeing parents and their kids, whether toddlers or teenagers, enjoying a moment together, without their phones, eating ice cream and focused on spending time together. We get to be part of those special childhood memories and that’s important to us,” says Kate.

Every bite becomes a passage of culinary heritage, unveiling the intricate layers of Turkish tradition and history. Turkish cuisine is known for its diverse range of cooking techniques, including grilling, stewing and braising. Photography by Amanda Rosenblatt. “Hoşgeldiniz” (HOSH gel-dee-niz) – Turkish for a warm and pleasant welcome – is most likely the first thing you’ll hear when you step into Bodrum Mediterranean Kitchen . But don't worry, you won't need to catch a long-haul flight to experience it – just stop by Bodrum’s on Roosevelt Boulevard in Jacksonville. Once you step into the restaurant, you are instantly transported to the Aegean Sea. Taking inspiration from the sun-drenched shores and azure waters of the city of the same name on the southwest coast of Turkey (Türkiye), Bodrum is full of blue and white accents. You’ll certainly notice the blue eye-shaped glass pendants. The handcrafted glass charms, known as nazar boncuğu, are believed to ward off bad luck around parts of the Mediterranean. Gunay Tashkinlar and Ramiz Rona Taskinlar, the couple behind this gastronomic journey, wanted to share their passion for their homeland's flavors and traditions. Ramiz's family is well-known in Turkey's restaurant industry. His family owns the renowned Köfteci Ramiz, a historic eatery tracing its roots back to 1928. This iconic establishment boasts over 200 franchises spanning Turkey and beyond, making it a beacon of Turkish cuisine worldwide. Building on their extensive restaurant experience in Turkey, the couple always dreamed of spreading Turkish culture in the United States and ultimately decided Jacksonville was an exemplary spot because of its proximity to the ocean and the steady economic growth in the area. They opened Bodrum in 2022 because “we wanted a restaurant that reminded us of our wonderful summers in Bodrum,” says Gunay. Bodrum brings the richness of Turkish culinary traditions to the Northeast Florida region, emphasizing a commitment to healthful, Mediterranean-style cuisine. "Every dish is a labor of love, prepared by Turkish chefs and served with warmth and hospitality by our dedicated waitstaff,” Gunay says. With meticulous care, the owners have curated a menu that pays homage to Turkey's historical foodways. Embark on your culinary journey at Bodrum with meze, an array of small dishes served as appetizers in Turkish cuisine. Meze dishes can vary widely from cold dishes like hummus, tzatziki (cacık) and stuffed grape leaves (dolma) to hot dishes such as spicy meatballs (köfte). Alternatively, start with a shepherd's salad (çoban salatası), a Turkish favorite. “What makes Turkish cuisine authentic is the meat,” says Gunay. Turkish cuisine is renowned for its various types of kebabs, which are often made with skewered meat. Some common types of kebabs include Adana kebab (spicy minced meat), shish kebab (grilled meat skewers) and döner kebab (rotating spit-grilled meat). The restaurant features shish kabob (şiş kebap) and gyros (sliced döner meat on pita bread). Although Turkish and Greek cuisines share some similarities due to their geographical proximity and historical interactions, they also have distinct characteristics that set them apart. While both cuisines make ample use of fresh vegetables, olive oil and herbs, they incorporate different spices and flavorings. Turkish cuisine often features more prominent use of spices like biber salçası (red paste made from sweet peppers), paprika and cumin, while Greek cuisine leans more towards flavors like oregano, lemon and cinnamon. Additionally, Turkish cuisine is known for its diverse range of cooking techniques, including grilling, stewing and braising. No Turkish meal would be complete without the ethereal delight of pistachio baklava. Turkish pistachios are prized for their rich, sweet flavor with subtle hints of earthiness. Turkey provides a unique combination of climate, soil and growing conditions contributing to the development of this distinctive taste. Pair the baklava with a fragrant cup of authentic Turkish tea or the robust flavors of traditional Turkish coffee for a truly unforgettable culinary journey. Bodrum Mediterranean Kitchen serves as a portal to the captivating essence of Turkey, beckoning travelers to immerse themselves in its rich blend of culture, history and natural beauty. As you savor the exquisite flavors of the cuisine, the melodies of Turkish music transport you to the Aegean Coast. Embracing the Mediterranean ethos, meals here are not just about consumption but rather a celebration of conviviality. Time slows down amidst conversations and shared plates of vibrant salads, assorted meze and Turkish tea. Every bite becomes a passage of culinary heritage, unveiling the intricate layers of Turkish tradition and history, all within the cozy confines of a Jacksonville eatery.