Kitchen and culinary elements in Anatolian Turkish fairy tales

Literature is a delicate art through which societies can express themselves in the most graceful and artistic way. All creations within this delicate art either have the chance to be passed down through generations or perish without reaching curious eyes. The branches of this ancient tree, with its solid roots, have extended in many different directions. Fairy tales, considered a common heritage of many communities around the world, are one of these branches. Over time, they have intertwined with different cultures and found their place in the literary world. This genre, an important pillar of folk literature, reflects the past and future of the people. In this mirror, many cultures, religions, and languages can see their own reflections. Every nation has passed down its tales orally in a way that suits its own culture, preserving them to this day. However, the idea that all these tales have influenced each other and originate from a common source has been a subject of debate for centuries. This shared heritage can be examined in terms of the motifs, archetypes, and even the heroes used in the tales. In our study, we have evaluated Turkish fairy tales from the Anatolian region in terms of kitchen, kitchen elements, and food culture. The aim is to identify these cultural codes in our fairy tales. Keywords: fairy tale, kitchen, food culture, kitchen elements, Anatolian Turkish fairy tales