Rapt in silk Glorious highlights of the book Ipek: Ottoman Silks and Velvet
William Morris and Mariano Fortuny familiarised the West with the sumptuous floral designs of Ottoman textiles. But few are aware of the bolder side of Turkish design: vibrant abstract patterns which are almost Japanese in their spareness. Ipek: Crescent and Rose, an important new book on Ottoman textiles, redresses this balance. Drawing on the expertise of a number of contributors, it has tracked down the finest velvets, brocades and cloths of gold from Russia to Romania, and uncovered some of the Topkapi's hidden imperial finery. Cornucopia previews this impressive book in a special twelve-page article
The book is reviewed by Alastair McAlpine in Cornucopia 24
Also read Power Dressing Cornucopia 34, the major exhibition of kaftans in the Sackler Gallery's Style and Status Exhibition.
La vie en rose The Anatolian Rose Harvest by Martyn Rix with photographs by Berrin Torolsan
The intoxicating scent of attar of roses, the oil distilled from the petals of damask roses, has worked its magic on men and women for centuries. Martyn Rix traces the history of the damask rose from its roots in Neolithic times to Isparta in southwest Anatolia to see how these precious petals yield up a liquid worth its weight in gold..
Between the Taurus and the deep blue sea Sailing east of Antalya by Kate Clow with travel notes by Jacqueline de Gier
Few travellers to Turkey enjoying the hedonistic delights of Mediterranean cruising venture east of Antalya, capital of Anatolia's Turquoise Coast - intimidated perhaps by rumours of a wild hinterland that even Alexander the Great found hard to tame. But those who dare to leave the crowds behind will discover an awe-inspiring landscape of cliffs that drop to the sea, epic castles and remote Byzantine retreats. Kate Clow and Jaqueline de Gier joined ten other guests and a lecturer for a twelve-day voyage of enlightenment aboard a traditional gulet
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Cornucopia 27 for Francis Beaufort's 1812 survey of this coast.
Rough journeys: George Bean and Terrence Mitford by Barnaby Rogerson
For more than thirty years Terence Mitford (far right) and George Bean (far left) painstakingly identified and recorded the forgotten ancient sites of Turkey's Aegean and southern shores. Their contribution to the preservation of the country's archaeological heritage is incalculable, their guidebooks are legendary, yet the men themselves are unsung. Barnaby Rogerson, in this homage to his heroes, uncovers an extraordinary pair: a gentle giant and a man of steel
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Geoffrey Lewis The Turkish world: love at first sight by Andrew Mango
Geoffrey Lewis, acknowledged as the dean of Turkish studies in Britain and beyond, learned the language while serving in the RAF in Egypt. When he finally visited Turkey he was smitten for good.
Portait of Raphaella and Geoffrey Lewis by Charles Hopkinson
We must sadly report that Geoffrey Lewis died in 2008 aged 87.
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Photography:
Shots of Empire: the royal photgrapher Vassilaki Kargopoulo by Philip Mansel
The lens of Vassilaki Kargopoulo created a unique record of the Ottoman Empire in its last years of glory. Philip Mansel leafs through the poignant album of the royal photgrapher
Memories of Madame: Dame Ninette de Valois and the birth of Turkish Ballet by Elizabeth Meath Baker and Bernard Burrows
The indomitable Dame de Ninette de Valois has died at 102. Two of her protegés reminisce to Elizabeth Meath Baker, and her visits to Ankara are recalled by the former ambassador, Sir Bernard Burrows
Perfect peach by Berrin Torolsan
For sheer sensual appeal, the peach has no rivals: its velvet skin and fragrant, juicy flesh are irresistible. Berrin Torolsan picks the most succulent ways to enjoy this seductive fruit
For a complete list of Berrin Torolsan's cookery stories in Cornucopia, see our cookery index. Selected recipes are also available online: menus.
Master of Plaster by Berrin Torolsan with photographts by Fritz von der Schulenburg
The dusty rooms of a crumbling Istanbul palazzo are a living museum of the plaster-caster's art. Here, still in use today, lie thousands of moulds for the intricate friezes and curlicues that once adorned the city's grand buildings. Berrin Torolsan visits the heir to a fine tradition.
Alistair McAlpine on Philippa Scott's Turkish Delights, John Julius Norwich on Robert Ousterhout's Master Builders of Byzantium, Julian Thompson on John Carswell's Blue and White: Chinese Porcelain around the World David Barchard on William Hale's Turkish Foreign Policy 1774-2000 and Christopher Brewen's The European Union and Cyprus Ali Erginsoy on Erendiz Atasü's novel The Other Side of the Mountain Andrew Finkel on Kate Clow's The Lycian Way
