With fertile land and a year-round climate, Turkey is known for its abundant agricultural resources. Some vegetables, fruits, nuts and other products in the country have already acquired GI status.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, a geographical indication (GI) is a sign used for a product that has a specific geographical origin and has the qualities or reputation resulting from that place of origin ... In addition, the quality, characteristics or reputation of the product should be primarily attributed to the country of origin. Since quality depends on the geographical location of production, there is a clear link between the product and the country of origin.
Turkey is rich in such items with special flavors worth exploring. Here are seven delicious products from Turkey, GI products registered by the European Union.
Small and sweet: Aiden figs
The first product on the list is Aydın fig. Aydın figs taste similar to honey and it is grown in Ayden, a major center for fig production in Turkey and worldwide.
Also known as yellow fig, Ayden fig is a small, sweet pale yellow fruit. This tree grows in mountains and plains and requires a relatively dry climate. Figs can be eaten fresh, but are also a very popular dried fruit.
The most traditional dessert: Gaziantep baklava
Antep baklava is one of Turkey's most special traditional desserts and is an EU registered Turkish product. In Gaziantep, baklava making is taught through a mentor-apprentice relationship passed down from generation to generation. This pastry and how it is made has an important place not only in Gaziantep but also throughout Turkey.
What distinguishes Gaziantep baklava from other versions of dessert is the quality of its ingredients, preparation method and taste. It is made from 40 to 45 layers of paper-thin dough filled with pistachios, butter, and sherbet. The pastry is then baked in a stone oak oven until golden brown, and finally the syrup is poured over the baked product.
Gaziantep baklava has a high status in Turkey.
Fresh and sun-dried: Malatya apricot
According to historical data, apricot was first cultivated in China and Central Asia. In Turkey, Malatya is considered the home of apricots, and Malatya apricot is an EU-registered Turkish product due to its unique flavor, aroma, and quality.
Apricot trees prefer long and cold winters and hot summers, and there are many varieties, including Hacıhaliloğlu, Kabaaşı, Çataloğlu, Soğancı, Çöloğlu, and Hasanbey. Although they are all sweet, they differ in shape. Hacıhaliloğlu, Kabaaşı and Çataloğlu are oval, Soğancı and Çöloğlu are round, and Hasanbey's apricot is heart-shaped.
Malatya apricots can be eaten fresh or dried and are a common ingredient in desserts and regional dishes.
Rich taste: Milas olive oil
Milas olive oil is one of the most important products registered with a geographical indication in Turkey! Milas olive oil is cold-pressed from early-harvested olives that grow on the methyc olive trees that grow in the region. Milas olive oil is characterized by a rich aroma, rich in polyphenols and oleic acid, and is also known for leaving a slight burning sensation in the nasal passages.
Milas olive oil is also historically significant because it met the demand for olive oil in the Izmir region before and during the Ottoman period.
Unbelievably delicious: Aiden chestnuts
Aydın chestnut differs from other chestnuts in its size and fleshy fruit.
Most of the fragrant roasted chestnuts sold on the streets of Turkish cities come from Ayden. This Turkish product, registered in the European Union, stands out for its size and shiny appearance, as well as its easily peeling skin and soft flesh.
Growing on plateaus with a temperate climate, Eyük chestnuts are irrigated by the Büyük Menderes River, and their taste and quality are very valuable to Turkey.
Healing vegetable: Ishibashi garlic
The Taşköprü district of Kastamonu Taşköprü is the main producer of garlic in Turkey. This vegetable is associated with onions, adds flavor to food, and is rich in nutrients and is known for its healing effects. Tashk Prü garlic is distinguished by its color, its garlic head is white, while the milky yellow garlic cloves are covered with a pink shell. This garlic is also known for its pungent aroma and distinctive bitterness.
Tashk Prü garlic has a long growing period, but is durable and easy to transport.
From the foothills of the Kazi Mountains: white nectarine
This aromatic fruit is a small nectarine variety that grows in the Bayramiç district of Canakkale. It is characterized by its petite size, good taste, and color ranging from pale green to pink, this fruit cannot be grown in other soils.
Bayramichi white nectarines grow on the slopes of Mount Kazi and are divided into three periods: early, middle and late. It is known to be drought resistant, with the harvest period beginning in June and ending in September.