Abstract:

Today, different reasons such as people's interest in different cultures, their increasing awareness about healthy life, their tendency to natural foods and their desire to experience gastronomic experiences increase the demand for local cuisines. In our country, especially in recent years, gastronomy competitions and herb festivals also significantly affect the tourism attraction of the region where they are held. A wide variety of food plants that grow abundantly in rich floristic areas such as Ida Mountain, Madra Mountain and Ulus Mountain in Balıkesir province are an important gastronomically important resource. In this study; Edible herbs that grow naturally in Balıkesir have been identified and the dishes used by the local people and other ethnobotanic uses have been revealed. As a result of the research, it was determined that 45 genera and 56 taxa belonging to 21 families were used in food. It has been observed that the leaves and aboveground parts are used more in food. Roasting (from 36 taxa), herbs (from 24 taxa) and salad (from 22 taxa) are the most common types of dishes made from wild herbs, while the least-cooked meals are whipping (from 3 taxa), pouring (from 1 taxon), and stuffing (from 1 taxon). has been placed. In addition, it was determined that one species (Foeniculum vulgare) was used as a spice and 8 species were used medicinally, except for herb dishes. When we look at the consumption patterns and cooking techniques of herbs, it has been seen that mostly salad, olive oil roasting and boiling cooking methods are used.

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