Cuisine, Cukurova, SeyhanWill RockettAugust 14, 2019Comment

Tarihi Yeni Ugur Helvacisi

Cuisine, Cukurova, SeyhanWill RockettAugust 14, 2019Comment

Found in the heart of the Seyhan district is one of the sweetest shops around. For decades, Tarihi Yeni Ugur Helvacisi has produced some of the world's most delicious delights. Turkish Delights, that is.

Meandering through the quaint winding shopping streets near the Buyuk Saat (Big Clock), you might stumble across their factory and flagship store. Merely entering the building stimulates the senses. First, the cool air conditioning is an appreciated respite from the warm Adana weather outside. Second is the aroma. The rich fragrance of freshly ground sesame seeds, simmering cauldrons of syrup, and sweet chocolate fill the room. Third, exceptional hospitality is on display from the moment you enter the door. Simply glancing at a certain variety of Turkish Delight will result in being offered a sample of the sugary confection. Take all you want. The seemly endless buffet of samples is completely free.

The store consists of two main sections. In one section, sesame products are the foremost attraction. The enormous sesame seed grinder in the middle of the store pumps out hundreds of liters of tahini (roasted sesame seed paste) each day. The tahini is either bottled and sold as-is or is used to produce helva, a sugary dessert beloved across numerous countries that make up the former Ottoman Empire.

The other section houses the headliner--Turkish Delight. Made famous by the Chronicles of Narnia series, many associate Turkish Delight with tiny cubes of fruit-flavored candy. While that is the most widely known variety, Turkish Delight ("lokum" in Turkish) encapsulates a diverse spectrum of sweet desserts. Pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, figs, grape molasses, coconut, marshmallow, caramel, and chocolate are all common ingredients in lokum.

Abundant options reside within the countertop showcases, each as beautiful and as tempting as the next. Lokum is sold by weight, and you can taste whatever it is you are looking to buy before making your purchase. If you can't visit their downtown flagship store, they have several locations across Adana.