This week we are celebrating the Ramadan Bayram here in Istanbul, also known as Eid al-Fitr. The holiday marks the end of the Holy Month of Ramadan, when practicing Muslims fast from dusk to dawn. At the end of the month there are 3 days of celebration which often turn into longer as most combine it with the weekend before or after or even both. Many people spend the days visiting family and friends and sharing meals together. It is also referred to as the holiday of sweets, Seker Bayrami, as it’s tradition to offer candy and other treats to guests, especially children. The markets have been stocked with giant bins of colorfully wrapped sweets in preparation for this. My husband says this was the most exciting part of the holiday for him growing up and how the anticipation would build up as the holiday neared and he knew everyone would be handing out “seker.”

This is only our second Eid living here in Istanbul and I’m still learning some of the traditions and customs. That includes feeling comfortable enough to cook or bake something to share that my in-laws might actually eat. My “yabanci” (foreign) food can sometimes be a bit too yabanci for their tastes and a lot of of the ingredients I use aren’t so common in the traditional Turkish dishes they are used to. But I managed to make a few things this week that I think were actually a hit. The first I’ll share with you is this Summer Cherry Cake because it’s just too easy and too delicious and I’d feel bad keeping it to myself.

As we slowly inch into Spring and the temperatures rising and we are finally starting to see the beautiful blossoms in nature and baskets of strawberries at the market, I can’t help but get excited about what’s ahead in the coming weeks when it comes to recipe possibilities and outdoor adventures. But as we wait for the berries to sweeten up a bit more, I wanted to share this rich and luxurious Lemon Curd.