Istanbul’s Spice Bazaar is a foodie’s dream come true. The covered market is lined with vendors selling spices, teas, dried fruits, and Turkish desserts. Mounds of jewel colored spices and teas line the walls of the market, and dried clusters of herbs and loofahs are strung up from the ceilings. The different aromas create an intoxicating scent that wafts through the narrow alleys of the bazaar.

Sold by the kilo, “love teas” promise to serve as an aphrodisiac, “relaxing teas” to destress. There are also a variety of more conventional teas such as jasmine tea and black teas, for the less adventurous. The carefully formed mountains of spices include pure spices like saffron, cumin, and oregano, as well as “chicken spice”, “meat spice” and “salad spice” blends. (What is salad spice?) The Spice Bazaar also sells a number of sweets, dried fruits, and nuts. We bought some chicken spice and…