15
October, Istanbul
Haci Mimi
Apartment 53TL
The Turks have a
sweet tooth. They delight in...
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; traditional varieties 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.”
Baklava: “... a rich, sweet pastry made
of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with
syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman
Empire, but is also found in Central and Southwest Asia.”
Halva: “The term halva, meaning “desserts”
or “sweet”, is used to describe two types of desserts: Flour-based – This type
of halva is slightly gelatinous and made from grain flour, typically semolina.
The primary ingredients are clarified butter, flour, and sugar. Nut-butter-based
– This type of halva is crumbly and usually made from tahini (sesame paste) or
other nut butters, such as sunflower seed butter. The primary ingredients are
nut butter and sugar.
Dondurma: “Two qualities distinguish
Turkish ice cream: texture and resistance to melting ... thickening agents
salep, a flour made from the root of the Early Purple Orchid, and mastic, a
resin that imparts chewiness. Dondurma is commonly sold from both street
vendor’s carts and store fronts where the mixture is churned regularly with
long-handled paddles to keep it workable. Vendors often tease the customer by
serving the ice cream cone on a stick, and then taking away the dondurma with
the stick and rotating it around, before finally giving it to the customer.”
(Wikipedia)
And countless
other sweets and desserts...
Turkish delight
Baklava
Baklava
Halva
Sticky sweet