Grilled lamb intestines forever and always


A couple getting married in Tekirdağ, in the Turkish Thrace, was surprised by a gift that was given by a guest over the weekend: Grilled lamb intestines.

An acquired taste for foreigners and extremely popular across Turkey, kokoreç, is grilled cow or lamb intestines, eaten with plenty of spice, served in the form of a sandwich. Efkan Kılıç, a kokoreç chef in Tekirdağ, went to Ertan ve Neşe Gence's wedding on Saturday night. While most got in line to gift the newlywed couple money or gold coins, Kılıç was out to give a social message.

He hung a kokoreç sandwich wrapped in paper and in a plastic bag on the groom, saying that his financial state would not allow him to give anything more. "Everyone gives gifts to newlyweds depending on their economic state. Rather than giving nothing, I chose to give them a kokoreç sandwich."A surprised Ertan Gence was not complaining.

"Everyone gives in accordance with the money they have. He is a person I respect a lot. If he gave me a kokoreç sandwich, the only thing I can do is to eat it."