Urla: Yağcılar

Our last stop today was a village by the name of Yağcılar.

The name translates into English as greasers or oilers. I have not been able to find a source explaining the why this name was given to this place. Considering all the olive trees grown in the area, however, my guess would be that it is a reference to the production of olive oil by local families … if not today, then certainly in the past.

Yağcılar was a Greek Village during the Ottoman Period. At the end of the Turkish War of Independence, it was bombed and left in ruins by the retreating Greek forces. Rebuilt after the war, today it is considered a neighborhood of Urla.

We weren’t there to explore this quiet neighborhood. It’s really not a place for sightseeing. Rather, Murat knows of a farmer who sells fresh-laid eggs and produce such as melons, peppers, and tomatoes, and he also likes to pick up unleavened rustic village bread from a bakery in the old village square. He did make his purchases … and Mui joined him in that venture. But first, we filled our tummies at a café not far from the bakery.

Güzel Köy Kahvesi — which translates as the Beautiful Village Coffee House — is an annex of the old Village Coffee House. There is a menu of the day, as well as a regular menu. We were a little late arriving, so there wasn’t much left on the menu of the day. Nonetheless, Aylin and I opted for patlıcanlı börek (a savory pastry with an eggplant filling) from the daily menu; the guys ordered toasted sandwiches and bruschetta from the regular menu. Ayran, made with watered down yogurt, was the beverage of choice for most of us.

Thus, we wrapped up today’s outing with a satisfying late lunch and then headed home.Read more