Turkish food is one of the three great cuisines of the world (alongside French and Chinese in the classical categorisation), and the living version extends from the street to the palace tradition. Döner kebab in its original form — lamb shaved from a vertical rotisserie into bread with tomato and yogurt — is the Turkish street food that has conquered the world, but the kebab culture extends to Adana kebab (minced lamb on a flat skewer, spiced with urfa biber and served on flatbread with pomegranate molasses), Urfa kebab, and the Antep version with a specific spice blend. Meze culture — long small-plate spreads of cacık (yogurt and cucumber), patlıcan salatası (roasted aubergine), haydari (strained yogurt with herbs), and cold seafood — is the Turkish approach to eating that rewards three hours at a table. Turkish breakfast (kahvaltı) — olives, cheeses, tomato, cucumber, soft-boiled egg, sucuk sausage, and multiple jams and honeys with tea — is the meal that sets the cultural standard for the day. Çay (black tea in tulip glasses), Turkish coffee (fine-ground, simmered in a cezve), and rakı (the anise spirit that clouds with ice water) define the beverage culture. That's where it gets good.