Simit

Turkish simit is a circular bread that's commonly accompanied by either tea or ayran (salted yogurt drink) and consumed for breakfast with fruit preserves or in savory combinations with cheese, pastırma (salt cured beef), and fresh vegetables. It is believed that simit has been baked in Istanbul since the 1500s, while the name hails from the Arabic word samīd, meaning white bread or fine flour. The dough itself is very similar to that of a bagel, except instead of boiling, the proofed dough is shaped and dipped into fruit molasses with water before being baked with a coating of toasted sesame seeds on top. In Türkiye, simits are sold by street vendors who walk around either pushing trolleys or carrying trays piled with these delicious, crunchy crusted bagels on their heads.