The origin of Turkish delight is not precisely known, but the confection is known to have been produced in Turkey and Iran (Persia) since the late 18th century.
History
Turkish delights in Spice Bazaar in IstanbulRosewater-flavored Turkish delightSeveral Turkish Delight variants prominently featuring dried coconutA variation on Turkish delight surrounded by layers of nougat and dried apricotKaymak lokum, Turkish delight of cream, a specialty of AfyonkarahisarFruit-flavored rahat from Romania
The exact origin of these sweets is yet to be definitively determined. According to the Hacı Bekir company, Bekir Efendi, named Hacı Bekir after performing the Hajj, moved to Constantinople from his hometown Kastamonu and opened his confectionery shop in the district of Bahçekapı in 1777. He produced various kinds of candies and lokum, later including a unique form of lokum made with starch and sugar. The family business, now in its fifth generation, still operates under the founder's name.[6]
Tim Richardson, a historian of sweets, has questioned the popular attribution of Hacı Bekir as the inventor of Turkish delight, writing that "specific names and dates are often erroneously associated with the invention of particular sweets, not least for commercial reasons".[1] Similar Arab and Persian recipes, including the use of starch and sugar, predate Bekir by several centuries.[7]The Oxford Companion to Food states that although Bekir is often credited with the invention, there is no hard evidence for it.[8]
Name
The Turkish names lokma and lokum are derived from the Arabic word luqma(t) (لُقْمَة) and its plural luqam (لُقَم) meaning 'morsel' and 'mouthful'[9] and the alternative Ottoman Turkish name, rahat-ul hulküm,[10] was an Arabic formulation, rāḥat al-hulqūm (رَاحَةُ ٱلْحُلْقُوم), meaning 'comfort of the throat', which remains the name in formal Arabic.[11]
In Libya, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Tunisia it is known as ḥalqūm, while in Kuwait it is called كبده الفرسkabdat alfaras; in Egypt it is called malban (ملبن[ˈmælbæn]) or ʕagameyya, and in Lebanon, Palestine, and Syriarāḥa (راحة). Its name in various Eastern European languages comes from Ottoman Turkish lokum (لوقوم) or rahat-ul hulküm. Its name in Greek, λουκούμι (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),[12][13] it is also marketed as Cyprus Delight. In Armenian it is called lokhum (լոխում). It is läoma ܠܥܡܐ in Assyrian. Its name in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Israel is rahat lokum, and derives from a very old confusion of the two names found already in Ottoman Turkish;[10] indeed this mixed name can also be found in Turkey today. Its name in Serbo-Croatian is ratluk (ратлук), a reduced form of the same name. In Persian, it is called rāhat-ol-holqum (راحت الحلقوم).[14] In the Indian subcontinent, a variant of it is known as Karachi halwa or Bombay halwa.
In English, it was formerly alternatively known as "lumps of delight".[15]
Around the world
Europe
Bulgaria
In Bulgarian, Turkish delight is known as lokum (локум) and enjoys some popularity. While it presumably came with the Ottoman Empire, it may have arrived earlier. Bulgaria produces its own brands of lokum, which may be plain or spiced with rose petals, white walnuts, or "endreshe".[citation needed]
Greece and Cyprus
In Greece, Turkish delight, known as loukoumi [λουκούμι] 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. Cyprus is the only country that has a protected geographical indication (PGI) for this product. It is called Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) for Lokum made in Yeroskipou, Cyprus.[16]
Romania
In Romania, Turkish delight is called "rahat" and it is eaten as is or is added in many Romanian cakes called cornulețe, cozonac or salam de biscuiţi.[17]
Serbia
In Serbia it is commonly known as Ratluk and as well served along tea and coffee.
Former Ottoman territories in the Balkans
Turkish delight was introduced to European portions of the Ottoman Empire under its rule and has remained popular. Today it is commonly consumed with coffee. Rosewater and walnut are the most common flavorings.[citation needed]
Ireland, the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries
Fry's Turkish Delight, created in 1914,[7] is marketed by Cadbury in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, Canada and New Zealand. It is rosewater-flavored, and covered on all sides in milk chocolate. UK production moved to Poland in 2010.[18] Hadji Bey was an Armenian emigrant to Ireland who in 1902 set up an eponymous company – still in existence – to produce rahat lokoum for the Irish and later UK markets.
North America
In Canada, the Big Turk chocolate bar made by Nestlé consists of dark magenta Turkish Delight coated in milk chocolate.
India/Pakistan
In Karachi, now in Pakistan, the "Karachi halwa" was made with corn flour and ghee and became quite popular. It is said to have been developed by Chandu Halwai which later relocated to Bombay (Mumbai) after the partition in 1947.[19] Some of the confectioners termed it Bombay Halwa to avoid its connection with a Pakistani city. [20] In the year 1896, a confectioner Giridhar Mavji who ran a shop Joshi Budhakaka Mahim Halwawala attempted to replace the starch with wheat flour and thus invented Mahim halwa which consists of flat sheets. [21]
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 Λουκούμι Γεροσκήπου (Loukoumi Geroskipou) for Lokum made in Yeroskipou, Cyprus.[22]
^Colin Turner, A Thematic Dictionary of Modern Persian, 2004
^Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Iriné, eds. (2009). Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 01.02.08.01.15.29.01. OL23951545M.
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