A Small Guide to Sowing Heirloom Seeds
Open-pollinated seeds reward patience. Here is how we start tomatoes and herbs at Defne.
Read more →Journal
Stories from the garden & kitchen
Notes on making paste the long way, sowing heirloom seeds, and why we named ourselves after a tree.
How We Make Tomato Paste the Long Way
No industrial concentrate. Just tomatoes, salt, sun, and patience. A look inside our summer paste ritual.
Read more →
Why We Named Ourselves After the Bay Laurel
In Turkish, defne means bay laurel — a tree of victory, kitchen, and quiet resilience. Here is the story behind our name.
Read more →