The Turkish Table

Seasoned with Humour

Abstract

There is a long tradition of humour in Turkish oral and written literature, ranging from slapstick to satire. Forms include anecdotes, jokes, riddles, comic verse, nonsense rhymes, humorous narrative, and witty debates characterized by plays on words, insight into human nature and a keen sense of the ridiculous. Within this tradition, food and food culture figure widely; not because food is intrinsically funnier than any other subject, but because of its deep-seated role in society. This paper concerns how humour has played a part in a particular type of occasion, known as a Helva Party, where guests participate in making this pudding as well as describing other instances where food and humour converge in literature and folklore.