As you may have noticed, Turkey is for the most part extremely faithful to seasonal produce and fruits and it is only been in recent years that other more exotic hard to find produce is now on offer. Therefore, Turkish cuisine is very much centered around the seasons and when fruits and vegetables are at their best. In the spring months, there are a whole new range of fruits, greens and vegetables that take over the table in Turkey, many of which may be lesser known by the farmer's market layman. While visiting one of Turkey's countless farmers' markets is definitely one of the most rewarding activities to embark on in this country, it can also be overwhelming, therefore here is a preview of what you may find out there on the stalls this spring.Unripe AlmondConsidered to be one of the first signs of spring and certainly one of the most popular early harvests is that of the "çağla badem," in English the unripe almond. These fuzzy green oval-shaped crispy almonds have a short season and people will go through hell and high water to get them. Their price reflects their beloved nature and has even been set as high as TL 50 ($13) in some markets this spring. But, for many a Turk their taste is priceless and they enjoy chewing on them whole, eating them plane of sprinkled with a little salt.Green PlumMany a Turk covet the days when their beloved "can erik" or "papaz erik," in other words "green plums," come to fruition. Every year this tiny, tough and sour little green plum makes the headlines for the high prices they can go for at the market. This year is no different with the top price upwards of TL 500 for just a kilo. Unsurprisingly, these bitter fruits, which are basically unripe plums, are savored on their own and sprinkled with a little salt.Fresh baklaMarch is the time of the well-favored fresh "bakla," the elusive fava or broad bean, which you can find still in its pod during the spring months. With a much lighter consistency and a fresher taste than its matured and dried version, fresh broad beans can be chomped on like a large edamame while the Turks like to prepare this bean in zeytinyagli with dillweed.Fresh Peas"Bezelye" in Turkish, the peas sold in the market are noticeably larger and differ in taste than the mange tout variety one may be more used to from abroad. None the less, they are sold still in their pods, therefore requiring the process of picking through, which in itself is quite therapeutic act. Caught early on, sometimes the pods are thin enough to be consumed themselves, but either way, Turkish peas are hearty and filling, and regularly prepared in an olive oil and tomato sauce with potatoes as a favored traditional home cooking dish.Fresh garlicWhile winter leeks are on their way out, what resembles a smaller version of leeks in texture and spring onions in appearance is fresh garlic. The long-stemmed fresh garlic may or may not yet have tiny bulbs, but if they do they will be soft and squishy in what is a true gift for the taste buds and a mellower and tangier aromatic of its bulbous big brother. "Taze sarımsak" as it is referred to in Turkish, is prepared in olive oil dishes, with egg as "mücver" and in soups.Blessed Thistle"Şevketibostan" is the name given to this green that is referred to in English as 'Blessed Thistle'. It consists of the roots and leaves of this spectacular yellow and red thistle plant. The most favored preparation of this plant mainly found in the Aegean region, is to prepare it with lamb in a stew.Wild AsparagusThese thinner, finer green and purple stalks that resemble a thinner more flimsier version of the cultivated and highly coveted asparagus are collected by villager women throughout the Aegean and sold in markets in tightly wrapped bundles, under the names "yabani kuşkonmaz, tilkişen and kedirgen." They taste quite similar to the asparagus we know he Tand love, making this a rare find as the true asparagus is also not so easy to come across here in Turkey. Turks love to chop up the stalks of the wild asparagus and prepare in a pan with scrambled eggs.Maltese PlumSoon to come will be the scrumptious "Malta eriği or yeni dünya," the two names given to the Maltese plum here in Turkey. The latter translates to "a new world," which if you have yet to taste these delightful fruits will finally do. Definitely worth a try, these orange oval rounds with a thin skin and big round smooth seeds, just get better the riper they are.ArtichokeArtichoke season will soon be upon us as these gorgeous globes will hit stalls and mobile vendors all over the place for the next two months. Furthermore, in Turkey, artichokes, which are referred to as "enginar" are peeled of their petals and leaves and cleaned completely and soaked in lemon water to be sold. One has to specifically ask for the leaves to be kept on, otherwise you'll end up with just a small disc of artichoke heart, which is delicious, but lacking for most the most favorite part, the leaves which can be steamed and then dipped in a lovely sauce. Alas, in Turkey it seems they have but one style of preparation, and that you can find cooked in olive oil as a meze in the spring months.

The best farmers markets in town

To find these wonderful foodstuffs, which are sold in farmers markets throughout the country, there are a number of long-standing and expansive farmer's market that is a wonderful experience and set to brighten anyone's day. A sure bet, with the beautiful sight fruit as decorations, which you get to hand pick and taste as you like all accompanied by the wonderful bustling calls of the vendors. If you haven't yet, I highly recommend you pay a visit to any if not all of the following farmer's markets:

Kastamonu Market

Located in Balat yet with produce from the Black Sea region, this small market in size upholds a huge reputation for having the freshest and most diverse selection. Get their early as this market, conveniently held on Sundays, can sell out by noon.

Şişli Ecological Market

Referred to as the "100 percent Ekolojik Pazar"' and the pioneer of its kind in Istanbul, every Saturday from morning until mid-noon an all organic market is set up in Şişli's Feriköy neighborhood, that is quite the enjoyable social event. You can enjoy fresh juices and gözleme made from organic and whole grain flours and spend the remainder of the day checking out the funky and fast developing adjacent Bomonti neighborhood.

Kartal Ecological Market

Located on the Asian side, this organic market is a newer version of the latter and is held on Sundays.

Kadıköy Tuesday Market

Held on Tuesday's for a full-day affair, this long-standing neighborhood market has anything and everything household related, from produce to textiles, appliances, shoes and more. The open-aired sky is the limit! Do be aware there may be some pushing and shoving as this market can tend to get crowded.

Beşiktaş Saturday Market

A similar, classic neighborhood market, the Beşiktaş Cumartesi Pazarı also has it all, areas devoted to different household needs and lots and lots of fresh fruits and veg.