Last month, the globe set, and then immediately broke, the record for the hottest day ever. So, what foods and drinks do people crave when temperatures go through the roof? That’s a question The World staff decided to answer with some of their local favorites.
Turkey
Durrie Bouscaren, reporter
Cesme, Turkey
Deniz börülcesiea (sea beans) and fried fish
“Here in Turkey, I have all of these memories of putting used watermelon rinds in a fish trap and catching fish, and then frying it on deck and eating it that night. Fish can sometimes be risky in the summer, right? Because it’s so hot, you have to know it’s fresh. But there is nothing better than eating a plate of fried fish. Like salty, lemony. Maybe with some arugula on the side that you kind of bite in between bites. There’s nothing like a plate of that next to the water when it’s hot outside.”
Spain
Gerry Hadden, correspondentBarcelona, Spain
Salmorejo
“Salmorejo, like a lot of comfort foods, at least in Spain, has humble origins. It comes from the south, where, over a century ago, rural Andalusians were keen on not letting any food go to waste … even old bread. But it’s become popular all over Spain. So a big shout out to Andalusia because Salmorejo is delicious.”
Venezuela
Tibisay Zea, correspondentCarcas, Venezuela
Sugar cane juice
“Sugar cane is one of my favorite drinks. It is the liquid extracted from pressed sugar cane. It is popular as a drink in many tropical countries. It’s very common to see street vendors crushing peeled sugar. This drink is refreshing and usually served with a dash of lime or ginger juice.”
Iran
Shirin JaafariBoston, MA
Abdoogh Khiar
“I am thinking about making one of my favorite dishes [for] this time of year. It’s called Abdoogh Khiar. I learned this recipe from my grandmother in Iran. She used to make it for us all the time in the summer. I can still smell the fresh cucumber and the dried mint and rose petals that she used to crush in the palm of her hands to release all the flavors and the aroma.”
India
Sushmita Pathak, reporterDelhi, India
Curd rice
“It’s 91°F. So on days like this, my go-to dish is curd rice. It’s a very simple, humble dish: curd and rice. Curd is unsweetened yogurt. It’s easy on your gut. Most importantly, the dish is cool because of the yogurt. And so as you eat it, it cools you from the inside almost.”
