The cultural diversity and cosmopolitan structure in the region also creates diversity in nutrition culture. Since Kocaeli is a city where agriculture is widespread and modern methods are used, it is also a city where vegetable production is intense. Therefore, vegetable and fruit consumption stands out in this region. Yarımca cherry, Değirmendere hazelnut, Kandıra yoghurt, stuffed turkey, Izmit Pişmaniyesi are the flavours identified with the name of these places.
Tarhana, Umaç, Bulamaç, unique to Kocaeli, are among the local soups you can taste.
Umaç Soup is cooked by mixing flour, water and salt, then oil, salt, pepper are melted and thrown into the boiling soup.
Pismaniye
Pişmaniye is one of the delicious flavours that almost all of us know with its unique style, taste and appearance. . Those who pass through Izmit on their journeys are first greeted by Pişmaniye sellers. This dessert, which looks like white cotton in boxes, is the symbol of the province. It is undoubtedly one of the indispensable foods of all local festivals and feasts. The homeland of the dessert made of flour and sugar is known as "Old Persia". Its name there is "Peşmek".
It is said that the first known master of Pişmaniye in Kocaeli is Hayri Usta from Kandıralı. The production for the market was started by an Armenian confectioner named Hacı Agop, who learnt how to make it from Hayri Usta. After a while, all Armenian confectioners turned to making Pişmaniye, and İbrahim Çınar, one of the chief clerks of the court after the Republic, ensured the promotion of pişmaniye in İzmit. İbrahim Çınar, who often travelled to the shop to give Turkish lessons to Hacı Agop's son, learnt how to make pişmaniye and when he retired, he worked as a pişmaniye maker.
