Business Class passengers on Turkish Airlines are in for a taste of a unique dough made to a historic recipe from ancient Anatolian wheats. Olivia Palamountain reports

Turkish Airlines has unveiled a unique addition to its business class in-flight dining experience, which links passengers with flavours of the past.

“The Oldest Bread”, which debuted on a flight from Istanbul to New York on September 22, 2024, is made from a recipe deeply rooted in the history of Anatolian agriculture (which began approximately 12,000 years ago in the Taş Tepeler region).

It is made of einkorn and emmer wheats, which are considered the oldest  in Anatolia, a region home to some of the most ancient civilisations on record.  Turkish Airlines "Oldest Bread"While ancient in its history, “The Oldest Bread” is freshly prepared by Turkish DO&CO, the airline’s Istanbul-based catering company.

It will be served warm to Intercontinental Business Class passengers, accompanied by butter and olive oil, as a prelude to the main meal service.

Prof. Ahmet Bolat, Turkish Airlines chairman of the board and the executive committee, says: “As the flag carrier that offers the world’s finest flavours to its guests and receiving numerous accolades for it from world renowned organisations, we are pleased to introduce our business class travellers to the world’s oldest bread grown from the reproduction of ancient wheat discovered in excavations in the Anatolia region. With this bread, traditional to Turkish cuisine and significant to global culinary history, we aim to blend past and present together on our inflight guest experiences.”Turkish Airlines "Oldest Bread"The development of “The Oldest Bread” involved collaboration with award-winning Turkish culinary historians Ömür Akkor and academic Çetin Şenkul.

Turkish Airlines continues to maintain its reputation for excellent in-flight dining, sourcing 80% of its menu products from local producers.

The airline’s commitment to fresh, boutique-style production by expert chefs has consistently earned it recognition for having some of the world’s best in-flight dining concepts.

By introducing ‘The Oldest Bread’, Turkish Airlines not only enhances its culinary offerings but also provides passengers with a taste of history, literally connecting them to the roots of agriculture and civilisation.

This innovative approach to in-flight dining demonstrates how airlines can use cuisine as a medium to share cultural heritage and create unique travel experiences

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