Tokat village women begin traditional winter food preparations

In Tokat, village women have begun their traditional winter food preparations using the 'imece' method, a system of collective labor and mutual assistance. This seasonal process typically accelerates during late summer and early autumn.

Local resident Selma Somuncu explained that the preparations involve boiling tomato and pepper pastes from field harvests, making noodles and tarhana dough collectively, and drying vegetables like eggplant, peppers, and beans on strings. The women also prepare various pickles for the winter months.

Somuncu noted that the collaborative approach allows tasks that would take an individual days to complete to be finished in a single day. Beyond providing natural and additive-free food for their families, the practice serves to strengthen community and neighborly bonds through shared work and social interaction.