SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA: A TREASURE TROVE OFGRAPE PRODUCTS

Grapes have possibly been the most important fruit grown in the Anatolian region for thousands of years.

Grapes have possibly been the most important fruit grown in the Anatolian region for thousands of years. People have developed a variety of methods to enjoy the wonderful flavor and numerous benefits of this fruit all year round. We pursued traditional grape flavors in the Gaziantep-Kilis-Hatay triangle, where grape cultivation is most popular.

The early morning sunlight shines over the village built at the eastern foot of the Amanos Mountains. Although it’s still early, there is plenty of movement in the grape orchards. Family and friends have rallied together for the vine harvest, and then to make “pekmez” (grape molasses).

The grapes must be loaded onto the tractor’s trailer before the heat of the day sets in. I grabbed one of the special grape harvesting scissors and began to work. As I help the family that invited me here to document the production of pekmez stage by stage, I don’t forget to discover clues about making traditional pekmez. I learn that the grapes we picked are called “beyaz” (white), that their real name is “kabarcık” (bubble), and their grape juice is the most suitable for first class pekmez. Pekmez can be made from all kinds of grapes. Production begins on August 20 with the early ripening variety, and continues until the end of October with the “hatun parmağı”, “kabarcık”, “paf”, and “kardinal” varieties of grapes. Pekmez made in the Söğüt village has a special feature: as the pekmez is boiling on a wood fire, it is constantly stirred with a wooden rod called a “çalpak”. This is why this type of pekmez is known as “çalpak pekmez.” The mother of the family tells me that pekmez is an appetizer, that it has blood-generating properties, and that it contains minerals, iron, and antioxidants. Pekmez produced from black grapes even cures people with hepatitis.

The harvest of these thin-skinned grapes that really look like bubbles -as these grow in small bunches- is difficult compared to other types of grapes. Two hours later the tractor’s trailer, full of grapes, is taken to the “mahsere” in the center of the village. Mahsere is the name given to the facility where grapes undergo processes in stages. The mahsere consists of a grape stomping pool, a pool where the grape juice is collected (“sal”), a maturing pool, and a pekmez cauldron. The squashed grapes in the stomping pool are sprinkled with a light colored, lime-rich soil (marl, also called pekmez soil). With this soil that acts as a kind of fermenting agent (yeast), the

cloudy must turns into clear grape juice. The grape stomping process begins after the white soil is sprinkled over the grapes. After this process, which takes place by heaping the grapes into portions and which can take hours according to the quantity of grapes, the grape juice is filtered into the sal pool through a muslin cloth, the pulp is placed in the squashing cage, and the last of the grape juice is extracted using the press. Even the pulp that has been thoroughly pressed is not wasted; after it dries, the pulp turns into a favorite food for cattle.

In the meantime, a fire is lit beneath the huge “kesme” (separating) cauldron stabilized in the mahsere. As the grape juice which mixed with soil in the revious phase of the process begins to heat up, it starts to bubble. The dark, greenish-colored sediment that appears on top is constantly removed using a skimmer, while the particles and soil grains that cloud the grape juice sink to the bottom. When the separating process is finished, the clear grape juice remains on top while the muddy substance remains at the bottom. After completing the separating process, the clear juice is transferred to the maturing pool, the muddy substance left over is filled into finely woven sacks and placed in a large bowl, and the remaining grape juice is filtered into the bowl using heavy stones.

The fire and cinders are removed from beneath the huge cauldron so the grapes are not wasted. After being left to rest for half an hour, the grape juice is transferred to the pekmez cauldron. The cauldron can hold a ton of grape juice; the walls

of the cauldron are raised using thin slates so the pekmez does not spill over the cauldron as it boils. This time, a blazing fire is lit beneath the cauldron, and in a short time the pekmez begins to boil profusely. All of these processes are supervised by the owner of the mahser, the “pekmez master.”

It’s almost evening, and we are hungry! We passed the duty of stirring the pekmez at certain intervals to someone else, and head to the nearby home of the family hosting us here. The mother of the house has prepared a feast to be expected from the Hatay cuisine culture: fried “içli köfte” (minced meat stuffed into a crust made of bulgur), a huge saucepan full of stuffed white cabbage, and a meat and potato dish! The sun may have set, but the pekmez making process has not finished yet. After boiling for a couple of hours, now it’s time to “toss” the pekmez. Family members that live around the mahsere, and the “pekmez master,” who doesn’t leave the mahsere for a moment, take turns in “tossing” the pekmez. The people from Söğütlü claim that by doing this, all the acidity and bitterness of the grapes evaporates in the air. As I was wondering whether the difference in taste could possibly be worth all this trouble, I noticed froth began to appear on top of the pekmez. I learn that this froth is extremely valuable, and in the Hassa region this is virtually in more demand than the actual pekmez. The froth is put into serving plates with a skimmer and we eat it hot for our evening sweet!

Eventually, at around 02:00 in the morning, the pekmez has reached the desired consistency; it is transferred from the copper cauldron into a huge bowl to cool and covered with muslin. In short, a whole year’s produce and effort fitted into a bowl…

The next day, we witness similar excitement in the Çaybaşı village in Oğuzeli. “Sucuk” and “bastık” (a sweet made of grape juice and corn flour) are made from grape juice in all the houses of this village. All the family members, from the youngest to the eldest, are working hard. By the way, the sucuk I am talking about is not the meat sucuk (a kind of spicy sausage) made with garlic and spices and sold by butchers, but a product that is made from grape

juice that resembles this in shape. Walnut sucuk is made from walnuts lined with gaps on a cotton string, then dipped into grape juice thickened with corn flour. The grape juice for sucuk is also given a clear appearance using white soil, but is only boiled for 15-20 minutes, not for hours like pekmez. Bastık is made from starched grape juice spread into a thin layer on a sheet using a wooden mallet. Left to dry for a couple of days, it is then dampened and the thin, dried grape juice leaves are separated from the material and cut like paper; it is either sold like this or made into triangle “muska” shapes filled with ground hazelnuts. To cut this into a shape similar to Turkish delight, walnuts, sesame seeds, or crushed hazelnuts are added to the mixture, this is poured into metal trays a few centimeters high and after being left to dry for one day, it is cut into baklava shapes and placed on a sheet. After this has been left to dry for two-three days, it is ready to eat.

There is huge interest in these products that are made using traditional methods, manual labor, and are totally natural. Friends and family begin placing orders for such products weeks ahead. Then, the Gaziantep traders, buy wholesale to sell in the Gaziantep shopping areas. Whether this is Ayşe Hanım who plans to get her son married after she sells her ton of sucuk, Hatice Hanım who plans to finish her half-completed home after selling the one and half ton of bastık and 600 kilos triangle “muska” bastık filled with hazelnuts, or Omer Bey who hopes to change his car, they are all full of enthusiasm and excitement. For them, the grape season is not simply making sweet products, it is also the season for earning money! Before the industrial toffees and sweets came onto the market, these sweets made of grapes that are nourishing and have numerous benefits were consumed and enjoyed by every Turkish home, especially in the winter. As the interest in natural and healthy foods increases in Turkey, interest in natural pekmez and sweets made from grapes is also on the increase again. Bon Appétit!