Turkish delight, lokum or rahat lokum and many other transliterations (Ottoman Turkish: ?????? ???????????? r??at al-?ulq?m, Turkish: Lokum or rahat lokum, from colloquial Arabic: ???? ???????? r??at al-?alq?m, Azerbaijani: ) 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 often 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 flavors include cinnamon and mint. In the production process, soapwort may be used as an emulsifying additive.
The origin of the confection is not well established, but it is known to have been produced in Turkey as early as the late 1700s.
Video Turkish delight
History
The exact origin of these sweets is yet to be definitively determined; however, "lokum" comes from the Arabic Halkum or Al-Halkum. In the Arab world, Turkish delights are called r??at al-?ulq?m (?????? ???????????) which means "Throat Comfort".
According to the Hac? Bekir company, the sweets as they are known today were developed by Bekir Efendi, named Hac? Bekir, after performing the Hajj. He moved to Istanbul from his hometown Kastamonu and opened his confectionery shop in the district of Bahçekap? in 1777. The company still operates under the founder's name.
Suggesting a Persian origin, Tim Richardson, a historian of sweets, has questioned the claim of Hac? Bekir to be the creator of Turkish Delight, writing that "specific names and dates are often erroneously associated with the invention of particular sweets, not least for commercial reasons".
Ottoman confectionery was originally sweetened with honey and molasses, using water and flour as the binding agents, with rosewater, lemon peel and bitter orange as the most common flavors (red, yellow and green). Hac? Bekir introduced the use of glucose in 1811, shortly after it had been discovered by Gottlieb Kirchhoff.
Maps Turkish delight
Name
The Turkish names lokma and lokum are derived from the Arabic word luqma(t) and its plural luq?m meaning "morsel" and "mouthful" and the alternative Ottoman Turkish name, rahat-ul hulküm, was an Arabic formulation, r??at al-hulq?m, meaning "comfort of the throat", which remains the name in formal Arabic. In Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Tunisia it is known as ?alq?m, while in Kuwait it is called ???? ????? "kabdat alfaras" and in Egypt it is called malban (???? ['mælbæn]) or ?agameyya and in Syria r??a. Its name in various Eastern European languages comes from Ottoman Turkish lokum or rahat-ul hulküm. Its name in Greek, ???????? (loukoumi) shares a similar etymology with the modern Turkish and it is marketed as Greek Delight. In Cyprus, where the dessert has protected geographical indication (PGI), it is also marketed as Cyprus Delight. In Armenian it is called lokhum (??????). Its name in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Israel is rahat lokum, and derives from a very old confusion of the two Ottoman Turkish names found already in Ottoman Turkish; indeed this mixed name can also be found in Turkey today. Its name in Serbo-Croatian is ratluk, a reduced form of the same name. In Persian, it is called r?hat-ol-holqum (Persian: ???? ????????).
In English, it was formerly alternatively known as Lumps of Delight.
Around the world
Europe
Bulgaria
In Bulgarian, Turkish Delight is known as lokum (?????) and enjoys some popularity. While it presumably came with the Ottoman Empire, it may have arrived earlier, as the Middle East has been very influential to the country in terms of cuisine. Bulgaria produces its own brands of lokum, which may be plain or spiced with rose petals, white walnuts, or "endreshe".
Greece
In Greece, Turkish Delight, known as loukoumi [????????] has been a very popular delicacy since the 19th century, famously produced in the city of Patras, Patrina loukoumia, as well as on the island of Syros and the northern Greek cities Thessaloniki, Serres and Komotini but elsewhere as well. Loukoumi is a common traditional treat, routinely served instead of biscuits along with coffee. In addition to the common rosewater and bergamot varieties, Mastic-flavored loukoumi is available and very popular. Another sweet, similar to loukoumi, that is made exclusively in the town of Serres, is Akanés.
Romania
The Romanian word to describe this confection is rahat, an abbreviation of the Arabic rahat ul-holkum. However, in the Romanian language, the word rahat took a pejorative sense, in this case a euphemism that translates as shitty. According to linguist Laz?r ??ineanu, Turkish words which entered the Romanian language in the seventeenth century and eighteenth century became mostly obsolete and acquired a pejorative or ironic sense. Politically and socially, this weakened the influence of Ottoman society, and parts of the Ottoman Turkish language which had not had time to take root in the Romanian language took a touch of irony and became a mine for humorous literature. Rahat is eaten as is or is added in many Romanian cakes called cornule?e, cozonac or salam de biscui?i.
Albania and Former Yugoslavia
In the countries of former Yugoslavia (Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia), as well as in Albania, Turkish delight is known as rahat-lokum, ratluk or lokum. It was introduced during Ottoman rule of the Balkans and has remained popular. Today it is commonly consumed with coffee. Rose and walnut are the most common flavorings. The Macedonian sweets factory "Evropa" is known for its Turkish delight.
North America
The Nory Candy company in the Greater Los Angeles area has been producing Turkish Delights or Rahat Locum since 1964. The company produces different fruit and exotic flavors including rose and licorice as well a variety which include nuts such as Almonds, Pistachios, and Walnuts.
In 1930 two Armenian immigrants, Armen Tertsagian and Mark Balaban, founded Liberty Orchards of Cashmere, Washington, and began manufacturing "Aplets" (apple and walnut locoum) and "Cotlets" (apricot and walnut locoum). In 1984 they added the medley-flavored "Fruit Delights" line in strawberry, raspberry, orange, blueberry, peach, cranberry, and pineapple assortments. Although all of these confections are marketed under American-style brand names, they are referred to on product packaging as "Rahat Locoum".
In Canada, the Big Turk chocolate bar made by Nestlé consists of dark magenta Turkish Delight coated in milk chocolate, and is marketed as both Turkish delight and loukoum.
Brazil
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. Also, the most known version is sold under the brand name: Rahat Locoum. It comes in two different flavours: Minsk or Caju (cashew nuts)
Britain and other Commonwealth nations
Fry's Turkish Delight is marketed by Cadbury in the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa and can also be found in Canada and New Zealand, which is rosewater-flavoured, and covered on all sides in milk chocolate. UK production controversially moved to Poland in 2010.
Protected geographical indication
Despite its worldwide popularity and production in several countries, at present, the only protected geographical indication (PGI) for such a product is the name ???????? ?????????? (Loukoumi Geroskipou) for Turkish delight made in Yeroskipou, Cyprus.
Related products
Turkish delight was an early precursor to the jelly bean that inspired its gummy interior.
There are gourmand perfumes that are based upon Turkish Delight, such as "Loukhoum" by Ava Luxe, "Loukhoum" by Keiko Mecheri, and "Rahät Loukoum" by Serge Lutens.
In popular culture
- 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.
- In The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens, Rosa tells Edwin that she wants to go to the "Lumps-of-Delight shop", explaining to him that it is "a Turkish sweetmeat" of which she is very fond.
- Norwegian artist Susanne Sundfør released a song called "Turkish Delight" with several references to the Chronicles of Narnia.
- Turks Fruit, a 1969 Dutch novel written by Jan Wolkers.
- Turkish Delight, a 1973 Dutch film about the love story of an artist and a young woman.
- "Rahadlakum" is the title of a major production number in Act 2 of the Wright and Forrest musical Kismet. The Wazir's wife, Lalume, seduces Hajj the poet with the confection, setting up the finale.
- In The Paradise, Miss Audrey, the head of ladieswear department, falls ill and loses her voice. Her former beau, the department store's direct competitor, brings her "Lumps of Delight". He knows that her illness is psychological, as the only other time she lost her voice was after his proposal.
- Turkish delight is an element in the 1930 Lord Peter Wimsey novel Strong Poison, by Dorothy L. Sayers.
- An episode of Mickey Mouse was named "Turkish Delights" and involved the titular character selling the confections in The Grand Bazaar.
- "Turkish Delight" is the name of a song from 2nd Chapter of Acts' 1980 album entitled "The Roar of Love" which was inspired by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) by C. S. Lewis. Turkish Delight is also mentioned in some of the other songs on the album as well.
See also
- Big Turk
- Botan Rice Candy, Gy?hi
- Gumdrop
- Hadji Bey
- Turkish cuisine
- Halva
- Masghati
- Food portal
References
External links
- Turkish Delight AKA Lokum web article
- Media related to Lokum at Wikimedia Commons
Source of article : Wikipedia
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