Simit is a circular Turkish bread encrusted with sesame seeds. Some say it is similar to a bagel, but aside from its shape, We really can’t see any other similarities.

If you’ve ever visited Turkey, you must have seen street vendors selling them from their trolley or carrying them on a tray on top of their head everywhere. That’s the real deal. They call it “sokak simidi” (street simit), which is much denser and crustier than the imposters sold at some bakeries. When you see a simit trolley, look around – there’s always Turkish tea nearby. And not only on the streets; in our childhood, a ferry ride in Istanbul without simit and tea was unthinkable.