Breakfast specialities bring together the cheeses, butters, olives, meat products and sweet spreads you need to prepare the most colourful and sociable meal of the Turkish table. In WeNatur's Breakfast Products collection you will find selected products in one place, from Ezine cheese and Trabzon village butter to Akhisar sele olives and Zühre Ana tahini. In this guide we introduce the products in groups and explain what to look for on the label, how to set a generous breakfast table and how to store the products.
A Turkish breakfast is not just a meal but also a moment of getting together. The long, leisurely tables of weekend mornings come about when different flavours meet in small dishes. With the products we ship from our warehouse in Germany, you can easily keep this tradition alive in your home in Europe too.
What are breakfast specialities?
Breakfast specialities are products that are mostly served in the morning without cooking or after only a short preparation. A classic Turkish breakfast includes cheeses such as white cheese and kaşar, olives, butter, honey, jam, tahini, eggs with sucuk or pastırma, tomatoes, cucumbers and fresh bread. On this table, which varies from region to region, the kuymak of the Black Sea, the çeçil cheese of Eastern Anatolia and the olive oil of the Aegean stand out.
This collection is a sub-category of our main Regional Specialities collection and contains products selected especially for the breakfast table.
Breakfast specialities at WeNatur
Below we have grouped the products in the collection by how they are used. The ingredient list, allergen information and storage conditions for each product can be found on the product page and on the label.
Cheeses
- Çanakkale Ezine Cheese 600 g: the classic white cheese of the breakfast table, made from cow's milk, salt and rennet.
- Erzurum Çeçil Cheese 500 g: a traditional cheese pulled into long strings and braided, which pulls apart in strings.
- Erzincan Tulum Cheese in Skin 500 g: an intensely aromatic, crumbly semi-hard cheese.
- Trabzon Kuymak Cheese 400 g: a cheese that melts and stretches when heated and is preferred for kuymak (muhlama).
Butters
- Trabzon Village Butter 500 g: made using traditional methods handed down through generations on the Black Sea coast.
- Natural Farm Butter 1 kg: made from fresh milk cream, with at least 82 percent milk fat and no additives.
Meat products
- Rize-Style Breakfast Kavurma 500 g: 100 percent beef, cut into cubes and slowly cooked in its own fat; a halal product.
- Kayseri-Style Pastırma 200 g: salted and dried beef with a coating of spicy çemen paste.
- Kayseri Butcher's Sucuk: a single ring of about 500 g; easy to slice.
Olives and olive oil
- WeNatur Large Black Sele Olives 700 g: made from olives grown in the Akhisar (Manisa) region and prepared using the traditional sele method (natural fermentation).
- Lychnos Extra Virgin Olive Oil 750 ml: cold-pressed, 100 percent extra virgin olive oil with a mildly fruity aroma. For larger needs, Lychnos Olive Oil 5 l is also part of the collection.
Sweet breakfast products and spreads
- Zühre Ana Single-Roasted Fresh Tahini: made from 100 percent roasted sesame seeds, with no additives.
- Zühre Ana Milk Jam 210 g: a thick milk jam made using traditional methods, supplied in a glass jar.
- Zühre Ana 100% Peanut Butter with No Added Sugar: made from 100 percent peanuts, with no additives.
- Zühre Ana Cocoa Hazelnut Cream Without Additives: contains 40 percent hazelnuts, cocoa and cocoa mass as well as dates; spreadable.
For egg pans and menemen at breakfast, the collection also includes tomato and pepper pastes from Hatay, for example Tomato Paste 1000 g.
Choosing breakfast specialities: what to look for on the label
- Ingredient list: In tahini and peanut butter you can expect a single ingredient; in Ezine cheese, milk, salt and rennet.
- Milk fat and type of milk: For butter, check the milk fat content; for cheese, check which milk it is made from.
- Added sugar: The statement "no added sugar" helps when choosing between sweet breakfast products.
- Allergen information: Sesame, hazelnuts, peanuts and milk are important allergens; always read the allergen section on the label.
- Storage conditions: Cheese, butter and meat products need to be kept chilled; pay attention to the temperature on the label.
Table ideas with breakfast specialities
- Classic serpme breakfast: Arrange Ezine, çeçil and tulum cheese on small plates; add sele olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and greens drizzled with olive oil.
- Hot dishes: Eggs with sucuk or pastırma, eggs with kavurma and menemen with paste bring warmth to the table.
- Black Sea corner: Melt kuymak cheese in village butter and make kuymak with cornmeal.
- Sweet corner: Mix tahini with pekmez and serve milk jam and cocoa hazelnut cream with fresh bread.
- Quick weekday breakfast: Spread peanut butter or tahini on a slice of bread and add a few olives and some cheese.
When arranging breakfast specialities, also pay attention to the balance of colours: white cheeses, black olives, red tomatoes and green herbs give the table visual richness.
Storage tips
Breakfast specialities are mostly fresh products, so proper storage matters. Keep cheese, butter, sucuk, pastırma and kavurma in the fridge at the temperature stated on the label; after opening, close them airtight and use them up quickly. Keep olives in their own container and take them out with a clean, dry spoon. With tahini, peanut butter and hazelnut cream, oil separation is natural and not a sign of spoilage; stir before use. Store these products closed in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. Olive oil should also be kept in a cool place away from light.
Frequently asked questions about breakfast specialities
Is the layer of oil on tahini normal?
Yes. As stated on the label, the layer of oil that forms on tahini is a natural occurrence. Simply stir before use; if needed, you can place the closed jar in lukewarm water and then stir.
How are the breakfast specialities shipped?
All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Germany with DHL or DPD. Within Germany, shipping is free for orders over 100 €. For details, please see our shipping policy.
Which products should I start with for a small breakfast table?
Ezine cheese, sele olives, Trabzon village butter and a sweet spread are a good start for a small but balanced table.
Conclusion
From cheese to butter, from olives to sweet spreads, breakfast specialities bring the warmth of a Turkish breakfast to your table in Europe. By reading the label, storing the products properly and combining different flavours, you can turn every morning into an enjoyable get-together. You will find all products in the Breakfast Products collection and more regional products on our Regional Specialities page. If you have any questions, you can reach us via our contact page.
Source: Wikipedia – Turkish breakfast
