Cold Mezze Plate

Mezze — from the Turkish and Arabic word meaning "taste" or "snack" — is a philosophy as much as a food category. The concept of presenting an array of small, flavoursome dishes before the main meal is one of the defining characteristics of Ottoman and Levantine hospitality. In the great houses of Istanbul during the 16th and 17th centuries, mezze spreads of 40 or more small plates were laid before guests to signal abundance, variety and welcome. The guest who refused mezze refused the host's hospitality.

Cold mezze typically centres on dips and preserved vegetables that showcase the cook's skill with simple ingredients. Hummus made from hand-soaked chickpeas, babaganoush from fire-roasted eggplant, and ezme — finely chopped tomatoes, peppers and herbs with chilli and pomegranate molasses — each tell a different story of Anatolian and Levantine cooking traditions. The beetroot dip, haydari and their companions round out the plate with contrasting flavours and textures.

Our Cold Mezze Plate brings four dips — hummus, haydari, beetroot dip and ezme — together on one board, served with six pieces of toasted Turkish bread. It is designed for sharing, for slow eating, for conversation. It arrives at the table as an invitation.