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Written by lexisclick
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Thursday, 08 January 2009 |
It may come as a surprise to some in this world where were used to discovering that nothing is as it seems to learn that Turkish Delight really is Turkish! Not only that but it remains extremely popular in its country of origin. You may find that somehow reassuring.
Turkish delight doesnt only delight Turkish palates. All the countries in the Balkan region have their own variations as does Greece. Not surprisingly Cyprus, with its Turkish region is another centre for the confection.
In Turkey its called, lokum or lokoum, and its known to have been made and enjoyed there since the 15th Century. Its thought that it originally developed from a Persian confection called, ahbisa, which is a sweet jelly.
Lokum is a jelly like substance which basically consists of starch and sugar. Its often rather sticky and is usually cut into small cubes dusted with either copra or icing sugar to stop the cubes sticking together. Rose Turkish delight is simply the same mixture with rosewater added as a flavouring which also gives it its pale pink appearance. Lemon is also used to add flavour.
Various items can be added to Turkish delight to create different varieties, small bits of nuts such as pistachio, walnuts or hazelnuts. Cinnamon or mint are often added to delight Turkish people and foreigners alike.
When lokum was first manufactured in Turkey all those years ago it was made using water and flour for the binding agents together with honey and molasses to provide the sweetness. It wasnt until the 19th Century that a well established manufacturer in Istanbul introduced the use of sugar and starch and created the recipe that is still used to produce the Turkish delight that we know today.
This luxurious taste of the Orient remained in the Orient, or at any rate in the Middle East and the Balkans right up until the 19th Century. It wasnt generally known in the western world until then. It was a British traveller who found himself spending some time in Istanbul and he came across locum, tried it and liked it. In fact he developed such a taste for the confection that before he left Turkey to return home to London he bought cases of the stuff and had it shipped to Britain.
This enterprising chap obviously realised that other people back home would like lokum too. He gave it the name, Turkish Delight, and it very quickly caught on. The popularity of Turkish delight spread far and wide and it became a highly sought after delicacy both in Britain and all across the continent of Europe. The sad thing about this story is that now no one seems to have any idea who this fellow was. We dont know his name or anything about him apart from the fact that he introduced Turkish Delight to Britain and Europe. Not knowing his name doesnt alter the fact that we owe him a debt of gratitude for bringing us this delightful confection.
Since then the popularity of Turkish delight and Rose Turkish delight has spread all over the world. Its also made all over the world too for no-one has ever sought protected geographical indication status for the product. Unlike champagne and many other national or regional named products, Turkish delight can be made anywhere and still be called, Turkish Delight. Protection is finally being sought for one version, loukoumi, which is made in Cyprus.
It may be the fact that lokum has been made for centuries in so many countries in the Balkans that deterred the Turkish manufacturers from pursuing any brand protection for their product. Each version being simply a local variation on the same basic sweet might well have made it difficult. Maybe they were just proud that their product carried the name of Turkey around the world and were flattered to have it copied.
Whatever the reasons it has meant that the name, Turkish Delight has become a generic term for the confection, certainly in the west, and a by-word for Eastern luxury. Actually The West , in this connection doesnt quite mean what its usually taken to mean. Here it means Britain and the continent of Europe where Turkish delight is so well known and loved for its hints of the mysteries of the Orient.
Surprisingly Turkish delight is nowhere near as available nor so well known in either Canada or the USA. Its possible to find it, but it doesnt enjoy anything like the same level of popularity. Its the same in South America but you will find it in Brazil where immigrants from Lebanon brought it with them.
So lay back and enjoy your Turkish Delight with its overtones of Eastern eroticism and decadence. Just thank that unknown Brit who first brought it back here.
About the author Chocol8 specialise in delicious Turkish Delight, hand finished Belgian chocolates and continental confectionaries, delivered in stunning handmade packaging. All their sweets come in our bespoke packaging, making it a perfect gift at any time of the year. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 09 January 2009 )
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Written by Administrator
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Saturday, 22 November 2008 |
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Part of living in a wonderful nation such as the United States is that we have such awesome freedoms; with these freedoms come responsibilities as Americans.Laws are passed for our protection dealing with all aspects of our lives.Bankruptcy laws help make sure the process of filing bankruptcy is fair for all Americans, no matter their tax bracket.As the number of bankruptcies begin rising in our nation, it is important to know about the current laws that deal with bankruptcy.If you find that you are one of the thousands who are at a point where you need to declare bankruptcy, or you know someone who is preparing to file for bankruptcy, then you should know your rights.Remember, as with anything in life, it is better to be informed on the subject you are dealing with! All bankruptcy proceedings take place in the United States Bankruptcy Courts, and follow the laws of the nation.There are some individual state laws that vary from state to state that deal with bankruptcy.A certified bankruptcy lawyer can help you understand the laws in your stateand choose which type of bankruptcy is best for you to declare.When many people think of bankruptcy, they think of the “bankruptcy of the past”.This consisted of people going into extreme dept and then filing bankruptcy to keep what they had and never pay a penny.Unfortunately, this practice did occur a great deal in the past.Because of this common practice, the government has made strict bankruptcy laws for the public to follow.In April of 2005 the Bankruptcy Prevention and Consumer Protection Act was passed.This act has incorporated strict guidelines that must be followed during bankruptcy proceedings.It also requires things such as credit counseling for the people involved in the bankruptcy.This is called the “ticket in”.It is required for people who are thinking about declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy to attend credit counseling sessions for six months before they even attempt to declare bankruptcy.There is also a formula now called a “means test” that determines if you are even eligible to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy.This formula looks at your income, the state average income for where you live, and the debts that you owe.If it is found that you qualify after the counseling and “means test”, you may then file for bankruptcy.This act also includes random auditing of the bankruptcy candidates, which can help insure that people are not filing abusively. Bankruptcy laws change occasionally and sometimes dramatically, such as in 2005.Because of these changes it is imperative to make sure that you have a lawyer who is well versed in the law.It is also a wonderful idea to choose a lawyer who specializes in the topic of bankruptcy.By choosing such a lawyer, you can be sure that they are up-to-date on the current laws and can look out for your best interests in the bankruptcy proceedings. |
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Written by Samantha Asher
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Saturday, 25 October 2008 |
Do you have student loans? Are you out of college and overwhelmed by the payments you need to be making to pay off your student loans? You are not alone. Most college students graduate with student loans. College is expensive and it takes a lot of money to pay for it, a lot of money that most people don't have. This leads the a lot of money taken out on loan. Once you graduate college you are required to pay these loans off, and it can cost you a lot of money every month.
Many students fresh out of college have trouble finding jobs right away. Unfortunately, whether you have the job of your dreams or not, you still have to pay back the money you borrowed. Even if you do get a job right away, it usually doesn't pay as much as you would like. With a low income, you might have to choose between paying off student loans and moving out of your parents' house. If you have no choice but to live on your own, heavy student loans can be more than a burden. If you can pay them, you are damaging your credit and possibly losing your chance at buying a home.
If you want to lower your monthly student loan payments, consolidation is one avenue you can take. If you have several loans from the government and other sources, you probably have lots of little payments at different rates. You could be paying 6% on one loan and 15% on another. Having different rates and different loans is not only disorganized and chaotic, it could be costing you a lot more money.
When you consolidate your loans, you are putting them all together into one loan to pay back. If you have several loans, you can make the minimum payments and focus more on the high interest loans, but if you can only afford the minimum payments, there is no way to do more quickly get rid of the higher rate loan payments. When you consolidate, you can get one low interest rate. It might not be as low as your lowest rate, but it will hopefully be lower than the average rate, and you will be paying it on the whole loan.
When you graduate, you must pay off your loans if you want to get out of debt and keep good credit. Find the best way possible to do this and save money every month at the same time.
About the author If you want to know more about student loans consolidation services go to ConsolidatingYourStudentLoans.info for more information. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 26 October 2008 )
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