Do you know who that guy is ↑?
That’s Hacı Bekir Effendi.
The inventor of the Turkish Delight.
What is it?
Turkish delight, also known as lokum, encompasses a range of confections crafted from a gel blend of starch and sugar. The finest selections typically feature a mix of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts, or walnuts held together by this gel. Meanwhile, traditional options are frequently infused with flavours such as rosewater, mastic gum, bergamot orange, or lemon.
The story:
He came from Anatolia to Istanbul in 1776.
In Istanbul, he opened his own sweet shop where he sold his invention, the Turkish delights for more than two centuries.
Then, guess what happened?
His business was a hit!!
As of today, it’s the oldest Turkish company and 1 of the 100 oldest companies in the world.
And it’s not managed by some random corporate giant.
Not at all!
It’s managed by Effendi’s great-great-great-great grandchildren.
That’s VERY great.
To make it simple, his family has been running the original Turkish Delight shop for over 2 centuries, spanning 5-6 generations.
Fun fact:
Abdul Hamid I, the Ottoman Sultan wanted to keep his wives happy. It is believed that he invited local confectioners to create a dessert that would be loved by his wives.
And the winner?
Effendi’s Turkish Delight, of course!
This is quite a romantic story which is not confirmed 100% by historians. There are alternate theories that Turkish Delight is actually Greek or Persian.
Why is it called Turkish delight?
The name sounds way too English for someone of that time in Istanbul. Effendi called it Lokum. And that’s what it’s called in Turkey even today.
But some random British explorer went to Turkey. Brought it back home. And forgot about the sweet’s name.
As he was delighted by his sweets from Turkey, he just called it Turksih Delight.
How original!
Today, Turkish delight is found on every street corner in Istanbul.
Sadly, in the UK, it’s rarer than gold.
But don’t worry,
Bakkali has you covered.
Shop our collection of Turkish Delight.
And bring a taste of Istanbul into your UK home.
------------------------------------
Hey, are you still reading?
We're Bakkali, making cultural groceries accessible. You can get weekly recipes from us and buy the ingredients on our app or website.
