I also saw Turkish breakfast on a hotel menu in Bahrain, where it is one of the best things about travelling there too, although in that case precisely because there aren't many other good things to do apart from getting drunk and you can do that almost anywhere (except in Saudi Arabia, which is why it's so popular in neighbouring Bahrain).
Needless to say, I had a smacker of a hangover, and when the waiter replied to my request for a Turkish breakfast with, 'American breakfast, sir?' I was thrown for a minute. 'No', I said 'Turkish breakfast, please.' to which he countered, 'I think sir would prefer the American breakfast.' I started thinking that the rules might have been changed during the night, but tried again with, 'I really would like a Turkish breakfast, honestly.' 'But the American breakfast would be much better for you.' he insisted, and it began to dawn on me that he was trying to tell me something. Was the Turkish breakfast that bad? Had the chef, suffering his own raging hangover, dropped all the olives into the floor-mopping bucket and then got a kitchen porter to fish them out and rinse them off? Suddenly it all became crystal clear when the waiter glanced to either side, leaned forward and whispered conspiratorially, 'The American breakfast has bacon in it.' 'Just bring me the f***ing Turkish breakfast.' I almost said, but didn't. He was only trying to be helpful, after all.
This isn't so much a recipe, as a marvellous combination of ingredients. The list traditionally includes a boiled egg, but all you do is ask your host to replace your egg with an extra piece of cheese or a few more olives. Here's the eggless version and it's necessary only to point out that the bread, tomatoes and cucumber should be super-fresh and sliced a minute or two before serving. The kind of cheese served in Turkey at breakfast time is called beyaz penir, which means, simply, 'white cheese'. Feta cheese comes pretty close.
Remember that this is one of the first things you or, preferably, your guests (since it's always nicer to have your breakfast made for you) will look at in the morning so pay extra attention to the layout on the plate. Fan the tomatoes out just inside the margin of the plate and position the cucumbers similarly opposite them. Stack slices of crusty bread on the edge of the plate, between the tomatoes and cucumbers and put the butter opposite. Position the olives and cheese side by side in the middle, where the contrast of black and white will provide a focus for the eye and enhance the visual effect of the colourful ingredients around the edge. Complete the picture with a cup of freshly brewed leaf tea or, as is my preference, strong black coffee. And there you have it - a perfect Turkish breakfast. Enjoy!