Page 46 - Ramadan 2022

46 LG RAMADAN 2022

common folk had to chew through “Profiterole” fall into this category.
the grains.
They still do, to great enjoy- PASTRY-BASED DESSERTS
ment. Many different parts of the These usually are soaked in a
Ottoman Empire contributed their syrup and include world-famous
own local specialties to the palace “Baklava”, as well as “Kadayif”
kitchens where they were refined (made from shredded pastry
and transformed into a distinctively baked in syrup, often filled with
Ottoman - Turkish cuisine. Turkish pistachio nuts, walnuts or clotted
desserts usually fall into one of
cream), “Revani” (a sweet made
Turkish desserts three categories: from semolina), “Hanim göbegi”
and “Sekerpare” (two kinds of small
DESSERTS MADE WITH
with yogurt), “Badem tatlisi” (made
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES sweet cake), “Yogurt tatlisi” (made
N old Turkish saying calendar is the one that marks The blanc mange made in Turkey Many fresh and dried fruits are with almonds), “Lokma” (deep-fried
advises one to “eat the end of the 30-day period of and known as “Kazan dibi” must stewed into compotes in which the lumps of butter served in syrup),
sweetly and speak daytime fasting during the month certainly be one of the loveliest fluid is as important an element as “Bulbul Yuvasi”, “Sutlu Nuriye”, and
Asweetly”. Sweets and of Ramadan. parts of the mosaic that Turks have is the fruit itself. “Ekmek kadayifi” (made with bread
desserts have always been an A popular Turkish name for the inherited from the ancient civiliza- Desserts made from apricots or in syrup). “Künefe”, a Southeastern
important and distinctive element Ramadan festival is “Seker Bayra- tions of Anatolia. figs are given a topping of fresh specialty, is made from shredded
of Turkish cuisine. That was true in mi” (literally Sugar Holiday), which Then there’s “Asure”, a festive clotted cream and sometimes wheat with a layer of melted yellow
Ottoman times and is just as true is a sort of capstone to the lavish pudding of cereal grains, sugar, crushed walnuts. The same topping cheese and syrup. Altogether there
today. Interestingly enough how- desserts prepared for the sundown and raisins. According to a legend, is used on “Kabak tatlisi”, an unu- are about 25-30 basic recipes for
ever, they also fulfill an important meals during the holy month. These it was originally concocted in the sual dessert made by cooking pieces desserts known but with the addi-
social and ritual function. Irmik desserts are elaborate not only in galley of Noah’s ark from whatever of pumpkin in syrup. tion of local variations the number
Halvah, a confection made from their ingredients but also in their was left in the pantry. becomes enormous (around 200).
semolina, is offered on the occasion visual impact and presentation. The pudding is served tradition- MILK-BASED DESSERTS In 1539 Suleyman I gave a huge
of major changes in people’s lives: The desserts and confections of ally on the tenth day of the month These include a wide variety of feast to celebrate the circumci-
a birth, a death, induction into the Turkey bear witness to the rich of Muharrem according to Islamic puddings, some of which are baked. sion of his two sons Cihangir and
army, return from pilgrimage, upon history of its people’s cuisine and calendar, when preparing a batch of “Keskül” is a milk pudding made Beyazid. Archival records tell us
settling in a new home, enrolling geography. The dessert known as Asure and distributing it to neigh- with coconut. “Güllac” is a lovely that fifty-three different desserts
and graduating school; and also on “Tavuk gögsü”, made with the milk- bors and acquaintances is still a confection of thin sheets of pastry were offered to guests including
special occasions such as praying white meat of chicken breast was common custom in many areas. The in a milk sauce to which rosewater different- flavored and colored pud-
for rain, etc. introduced into ancient Rome from Ottoman palace kitchens produced is added. “Tavuk gogsu” and “Kazan dings, a variety of helvahs, pastries
One of the most important the Mediterranean and reintro- a refined version of “Asure” that dibi” are already mentioned in the and cakes, and a large assortment
holidays in the traditional Islamic duced into Anatolia by the Romans. was blended and strained; more above. Also “Firinda sütlaç” and of jams and compotes.