Turkish delight
 An assortment of Turkish delight |
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| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Alternative name(s) | Lokum |
| Place of origin |  Ottoman Empire |
| Region or state | Turkey |
| Creator(s) | Turks |
| Details | |
| Course | Sweet |
| Serving temperature | Room temperature |
| Main ingredient(s) | Starch, sugar |
| Variations | Multiple |
Turkish delight or Lokum is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; the cheapest are mostly gel, generally flavored with rosewater, mastic, Bergamot orange or lemon. The confection is often packaged and eaten in small cubes dusted with icing sugar, copra, or powdered cream of Tartar, to prevent clinging. Other common types include such flavors as cinnamon and mint. In the production process, soapwort may be used as an emulsifying additive.
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History [edit]
The sweet as it is known today was invented by Bekir Effendi, who moved from his hometown Kastamonu to Constantinople (now Istanbul) and opened his confectionery shop in 1776.[1]
Originally, honey and molasses were its sweeteners, and water and flour were the binding agents, with rosewater, lemon peel and bitter orange as the most common flavors (red, yellow and green). Lokum was introduced to Western Europe in the 19th century. An unknown Briton reputedly became very fond of the delicacy during his travels to Constantinople and purchased cases of it, to be shipped back to Britain under the name Turkish delight. It became a major delicacy in Britain and throughout Continental Europe for high class society. During this time, it became a practice among upper class socialites to exchange pieces of Turkish delight wrapped in silk handkerchiefs as presents.[citation needed]
Name [edit]
The Turkish words lokma and lokum are derived from the Arabic words luqma(t), meaning morsel and mouthful, plural luqūm.[2] used commonly in the Ottoman Turkish language. In Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia, it is called حلقوم ḥalqūm. In Egypt it's called 'Malban' or 'Agamiyah' and in Syria Raha. Its name in various Eastern European languages come from lokum or the Arabic name rahat al-hulqum meaning "comfort of the throat". Its name in Greek, λουκούμι (loukoumi), shares a similar etymology with the modern Turkish. In parts of Cyprus, where the dessert has protected geographical indication (PGI),[3] it is also marketed as Cyprus Delight.[4] Its name in Bosnian is "Rahat Lokum", an older Ottoman version still also used in Turkey, though rarely. Its name in Serbo-Croatian is "Ratluk".
In English, it was formerly called Lumps of Delight.[5]
Around the world [edit]
Greece [edit]
In Greece, Turkish delight, known under the name loukoumi [λουκούμι] is a very popular delicacy since the 19th century, famously produced in the city of Patras as well as on the island of Syros and the northern Greek cities Serres and Komotini but elsewhere as well. Turkish delight is a common traditional treat, routinely served instead of biscuits along with Turkish coffee. In addition to the common rosewater and bergamot varieties, Mastic-flavored loukoumi is available and very popular.
Romania [edit]
The Romanian word to describe this confection is rahat, an abbreviation of the Arabic rahat ul-holkum.[6] However, in the Romanian language, the word rahat took a pejorative sense, in this case an expletive that translates as shit.[7][8] According to the famous linguist Lazăr Şăineanu, Turkish words which entered the Romanian language in the seventeenth century and eighteenth century are mostly obsolete and have acquired a pejorative or ironic sense. Politically and socially, this weakens the influence of Ottoman society, and parts of the Ottoman Turkish language which have not had time to take root in the Romanian language took a touch of irony and became a mine for humorous literature.[9]
Rahat is eaten as is or is added in many Romanian cakes called cornuleţe, cozonac or salam de biscuiti.[10] Traditionally in Romania and the Balkans generally, the rahat is served with coffee.
North America [edit]
In North America, Turkish delight is not widely available under that name or any traditional name such as Lokum. Since 1964, the Nory Candy company of California has been producing their traditional "Rahat Locum" in rosewater, mint, orange, pomegranate, and licorice flavors as well as pistachio and hazelnut versions of Turkish delight. However, many products in the line of confectionery produced by Liberty Orchards of Cashmere, Washington, including their "Aplets & Cotlets" and various "Fruit Delights," may be considered Americanized versions of Turkish Delight, and Liberty Orchards has sold a product under the name Turkish Delight as of 2012. Turkish delight also forms the basic foundation of the Big Turk chocolate bar (distributed by Nestlé in Canada).
Brazil [edit]
The confection is known in Brazil as Manjar Turco, Delícia Turca, Bala de Goma Síria or Bala de Goma Árabe. As with most Middle Eastern dishes, it came with the Levantine Arab diaspora to Latin America.
British Commonwealth and beyond [edit]
Fry's Turkish Delight is produced by Cadbury in the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa and can also be found in Canada and New Zealand, though it has little in common with the traditional product. UK production controversially moved to Poland in 2010.[11]
The interior jelly of jelly beans may trace its origins to Turkish delight.[12]
An American produced candy known as Chuckles is a confectionery produced by Farley's & Sathers Candy Company, Inc. Chuckles are jelly candies coated with a light layer of sugar, though it is a crystalline coating rather than the powder usually associated with Turkish Delight.
Protected geographical indication [edit]
Despite its worldwide popularity and production in several countries, at present, the only protected geographical indication (PGI) for such a product is the name Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) for Turkish delight made in Yeroskipou, Cyprus.[3][13]
Related products [edit]
There are "gourmand" perfumes that use Loukoum or Loukhoum in their names and that are said to smell like the confection, as in Loukhoum by Ava Luxe, Loukhoum by Keiko Mecheri, and Loukoum by Serge Lutens.
Popular culture [edit]
Turkish delight features as the addictive confection to which Edmund Pevensie succumbs in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) by C. S. Lewis. Sales of Turkish delight rose following the theatrical release of the 2005 film version of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.[14]
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Carol Helstosky, Food culture in the Mediterranean, 2011, xvi
- ^ Diran Kélékian, Dictionnaire Turc-Français (Ottoman Turkish), 1911
- ^ a b "Turks riled as Cyprus set to win EU trademark on Turkish delight". International Herald Tribune. Associated Press. December 13, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-14.
- ^ "Cyprus villagers make giant sweet", BBC News, October 18, 2004
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary
- ^ Lazăr Şăineanu, Influența orientală asupra limbii şi culturii româneşti, 1900
- ^ (Romanian) "Dictionnaire franco roumain". projet babel.
- ^ (French)Traduction de merde en roumain
- ^ (Romanian) "INFLUENTA LIMBII TURCE ASUPRA LIMBII ROMǺNE". scritube.com.
- ^ (English) "Encyclopedia of Jewish Food". books.google.fr.
- ^ http://www.confectionerynews.com/Financial/Final-UK-made-Cadbury-Crunchie-bars-from-September
- ^ "The History of Jelly Beans". National Confectioners Association. Retrieved 2009-09-24.[dead link]
- ^ Dossier Number CY/PGI/0005/0454 in the EU's Database of Origin and Registration.
- ^ Turkish Delight Sales Jump After Narnia Chronicles
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lokum |
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Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on |
* Turkish Delight Recipe (Sultan Turkish Delight)
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