At one time Arnavutköy was a small Bosphorus village of picturesque wooden houses and waterfront mansions, mosques and churches, and a few shops. Vineyards, fields and orchards climbed up the hillside behind. Arnavutköy was renowned in Istanbul for its fragrant strawberries. These small, delicate pink fruits, known today as Ottoman strawberries, were first grown here in the 19th century by the Ipsilanti family. In May and June the strawberries were gathered in baskets and carried down to the village square at the watr'se edge, where they were loaded onto boats and taken to the city markets. It is related that some baskets of these strawberries were sent as a gift to Halil Paþa in Ereðli on the Black Sea coast, and were so highly praised by the paþa, that his carriage driver Mustafa Bey decided to try and grow them. The strawberries flourished in the soil and climate of Eregli, and seeing this a local farmer, Kahyaoglu Kadir, and his Greek partner started to grow the strawberries in the nearby village of Kestaneci.

Soon strawberries were being grown widely throughout the area. Strawberries symbolise abundance and fertility, as a German custom illustrates. In Bavaria farmers used to tie a basket of strawberries between the horns of their cows as a gift to the fairies, who were supposed to be fond of strawberries, in the hope that their cows would give more milk. Strawberries belong to the Rosa family. They are a low-growing plant that produces white flowers. The fruit may be eaten fresh, made into preserves, sorbet, puddings, cakes, and even wine or liqueur. Today there are around 600 cultivated varieties in the world. In Turkey strawberries are mainly grown in the Black Sea and Marmara regions. The larger and redder European varieties are also cultivated, but the fragrant Ottoman strawberry of Eregli is preferred for preserves. Wild strawberries are also found in woodland. Other areas famous for their strawberries are Bursa and Tarsus, although production in the latter has declined in recent years.