Gaziantep's "Baklava" (favorite dessert of Turks) was given "geographical indication certificate" with a ceremony held at the Turkish Patent Institute(TPE) in Ankara, on Monday.

'Baklava belongs to Turkey' - 21 / 02 / 2008 21:30

Zafer Caglayan, Turkish Minister of Industry & Commerce, Rifat Hisarciklioglu, chair of Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and other officials attended the ceremony.

Delivering a speech Caglayan said the geographical indication certificate that was issued would end disputes with Greece over ownership of "Baklava" .

Caglayan said with the certificate people of Gaziantep earned the right to ask protection from the EU for "Baklava" trademark. "With this certificate we are announcing to the whole world that 'Baklava' is Antep Baklava and it belongs to Turkey," said Caglayan.

 On the other hand, Hisarciklioglu said he hoped efforts of Gaziantep province and Gaziantep Chamber of Industry would serve as an example to other Turkish cities.

A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on certain products or which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin ( a town, region, or country) and it acts as a certification that the product possesses certain qualities, or enjoys a certain reputation, due to its geographical origin.

MANY CIVILIZATIONS CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF 'BAKLAVA'

Many different nations ranging from Turks to Greeks, from Jews to Arabs regard 'Baklava' as their own traditional dessert. The research done by Turkish Baklava & Dessert Producers Ass. titled "The History of Baklava" depicts Baklava as one of the tastes the humanity cannot desist.

The Greeks claim the Turks acquired the "Baklava" from Byzantine while some experts say the 'Baklava' originated in Central Asia.

DID 'BAKLAVA' ORIGINATE IN THE BIZANTINE EMPIRE?

 Prof. Speros Vryonis trying to prove the Greek thesis that Turks acquired Baklava from Byzantines asserts that there existed a dessert named 'kopte' or 'kopton' very much like 'Baklava' in the Byzantine.

On the other hand, according to American journalist Charles Perry who claims Baklava originated in Central Asia, "kopte" is more of a candy than a dessert.

A Greek from Istanbul, Sula Bozis in his book on the Cuisine of Istanbul Greeks talks about a Byzantine dessert named "kopti" made by insertion of a mixture of crushed walnuts, sesame and honey between two thin dough sheets. It is possible to come across this dessert in old recipe books of Greeks.

NOMADIC TURKS

However the thesis asserting Nomadic Turks to whom dough sheets were the fundamental source of nutrition might have prepared pastries by putting various mixtures between baked multi-dough sheets is also widely credited.

American Journalist Perry regards the old traditional dessert of Azerbaijan, 'Baki Pahlavasi' made by sprinkling various nuts between 8 dough sheets, as a link in the chain of evolution from the dough bread baked in the steppes of the Central Asia on a tin plate placed on bonfire to the classical 'baklava' as we know today.

"It is as if baklava is a mixture of Iranian pastry made with nutty fillings and the Turkish bread with multi-layers of dough sheet," says Perry.

 It is widely accepted that baklava has got its current ornate and sophisticated form during the Ottoman Era. According to the works of Evliya Celebi and "Surname" by Vehbi in 17th century, it is understood that Baklava was mostly served in palaces, mansions during feasts and festivals and efforts to satisfy the picky wealth owners and nobs transformed 'baklava' from a simple pastry to its current sophisticated form requiring talent and skill.

AA