Being
invited for a meal at a Turkish home is both an honour and an obligation. Always remove your shoes at the door. In urban, middle-class homes you’ll sit at a table and eat with cutlery. In village houses, however, the meal is usually served at a low table with cushions on the floor; hide your feet under the table or a dropcloth provided for the purpose. (Feet, shod or not, are considered unclean and should never be pointed at anyone.) When scooping food with bread sections from a communal bowl,
use your right hand – the left is reserved for bodily hygiene. If you use toothpicks provided at restaurants, cover your mouth while doing so.
