Lokum or Turkish Delight opus 954
| 8 October 2026 0711 Hours | | Turkey, Custom, Diet, Food, History, Memories |
My first teaching job was at the old Robert College,
Now named Boğaziçi Üniversitesi, Istanbul, Turkiye.
I explored the food, customs, and general life in my new environment.
One special item I discovered was an ancient sweet, called Lokum,
A combination of confectioner's sugar covering a sweet gelatin,
Interspersed with pieces of pistachio nuts.
After meeting and happily consuming this delicacy,
Decades later, I looked into its history.
It was introduced into Istanbul in 1777 by Ali Muhidin Haci Bekir Effendi,
When he opened a sweet shop.
When refined sugar and cornstarch became available in the 1800s,
He changed his formula to create the soft jellied cubes known today.
In the 14th and 15th centuries during the Ottoman period, older versions
Relied on honey and pekmez (grape molasses) and flour, not cornstarch.
In ancient Safavid Persian texts (centuries old)
Starch-and-sugar confection recipes were discovered.
These predated the Ottomans by many centuries.
The Byzantines used a similar recipe of starch,
Honey and rosewater (paloudakin).
The Turkish name, 'lokum', came from the Arabic
Rahat al-hulgum (throat comfort).
From my research, it proves once again that everything has a history!