For centuries, Istanbul and its enlightened inhabitants have kept many secrets. This time, the author approached the mystery of one of them with full responsibility and courage. She had to dive into the intricacies of what is arguably the hottest language on the planet, descend into the dungeon beneath the “bloody” cathedral in Balat, find a message from Zoe Parfiryodnaya, try a dozen dishes from Vasilevs’s cookbook, and personally brew an elixir of true love from purple basil… All of this for the enigma that the native people of Istanbul guard most carefully.