Formation of flavor regions in Turkey according to density of materials used

There is a perception among people that food ingredients and quantities are the same everywhere in all over Turkey. Whereas certain foods can be prepared with the same ingredients in different parts of Turkey, certain foods in the same place can be prepared with different materials. The theme of the research is to find out whether there are statistically significant boundaries of distribution of flavor zones and distribution of flavour profile in Turkey. In this study, the differences and similarities of these foods with respect to each other were examined, taking into consideration the materials and quantities used in the construction of certain foods determined in the scope of the research. Ashura, bulgur rice, casserole and lentil soup were determined within the scope of the opinions of 15 experts consisting of 5 academicians, 5 kitchen instructors and 5 chefs working in private sector in the field of gastronomy. Recipes for determined meals (lentil soup, bulgur pilaf, casserole and ashure) were collected from the members of Turkey and Headmen Confederation (TMC). Within the scope of the research, recipes were collected from headmen of 234 districts and 3070 people by questionnaire. In addition, 794 recipes obtained from the literature and the personal interviews and observations of the researcher were included in the study and a total of 4098 recipes were evaluated. The materials and quantities of the prescriptions were standardized as four persons and analyzed over the four-person prescriptions. Different methods were used for data analysis and different statistical programs were used for each method. The prevalence of the materials and quantities used in the meals determined in the scope of the research in the districts; The lowest and highest utilization rates, arithmetic means and standard deviation values were calculated for each material at district level. In the next stage of the analysis, maps showing spatial distribution of the data were prepared. The maps prepared with IDW were then classified into three groups (high, medium and low level usage) and overlapping of the common ingredients of the respective dishes were performed and overlap analysis was performed. In the last stage of the analyzes, spatial autocorrelation analysis was performed to determine whether the data showed a spatial cluster. The research aims to prepare Turkey's comprehensive taste maps by determining where the materials and quantities used in the preparation of specific dishes prepared in different illusions of Turkey show differences or similarities. Within the scope of the research, the basic flavor elements used in specific foods in Turkey were determined and their relation to each other was revealed. In conclusion, the study will help to determine the factors affecting the culinary culture of the people living in Turkey and to determine how to design a gastronomic product plan in which provinces and districts by filling a large literature gap about the taste concept of the residents in Turkey in the field of gastronomy. In addition, such a comprehensive academic study will be made for the first time in Turkey to determine what the distinctive flavor elements in the dishes prepared in all provinces and cities of Turkey are. With the information to be produced at the end of the research, taste maps were prepared for the first time in Turkey and in the world. The taste maps to be prepared will be an invaluable resource especially for people who are growing in tourism with the newly developing Gastronomy and Culinary Arts in Turkey so that they can access the information about food culture and taste understanding of Turkey. This research will contribute to the development of gastronomic tourism in Turkey and the determination of destinations for it.