Pekmez - Mulberry, Carob and Grape Syrup

Pekmez is the name given to the syrup made from either Mulberries, Carob pods and Grapes.  It is very very healthy even being prescribed by doctors to infants, children, the elderly, infirmed, pregnant women and various other illnesses.  Pekmez is widely available at the local supermarkets and bazaars or you can make them at home.  You need a quantity of either grape or mulberry juice.  I would start with 5 litres as you need to boil this down to syrup consitency thus reducing the end volume.

Mulberry juice boiling down

Boil the juice in a large saucepan, go from a rapid boil in the beginning to a gradual one until you reach the desired thickness.  Check on it throughout and using a spatula scrape down the sides of the saucepan.  That is all you have to do to make it.  Being a syrup it stores well without further processing.  If you made a few jars of pekmez you can water bath them for a better seal.

Dosnt this look delicous! 

People eat this by mixing pekmez in with tahini(sesame seed paste)for breakfast, drink it straight or mixed with a bit of water for a tonic.  You can use pekmez in various recipes instead of sugar as well.


Pekmez is an amazing product and very easy to make.  If you can get your hands on good quality grapes or mulberries I highly recomend trying it, replacing refind sugars in todays diet will play a big role in helping you towards a healthier diet.

Pekmez and Tahini are sold together sometimes.  This shows you how popular a staple it is for breakfast.

For those wanting to know Pekmez can be bought from most local supermarkets and small shops.  The price goes by the kilo usually and ranges from 6lira to 10.


http://verygoodrecipes.com/turkish

Turkish Potato Salad

This is one of those dishes I make and every time after eating it I wonder why I dont make it more often. Its filling,light and can be a main event by itself or   put on the side. This is also often served at the womens high teas along with cakes and pastries.


I love potato salad.  Either dripping with mayonaise or lightly tossed in olive oil, with or without egg and onion it dosnt matter I love it! I first had this in Istanbul at my neighbours home on one of her ladies days. I hadnt seen anything like it before and after the first bite was taken.

6 large potatoes
1 to 2 cups finely chopped lettuce
3 carrots, grated
1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1 grated onion - you can omit
1/4 cup pickled cucumbers, diced
oil
salt
sumac,lemon juice or pomegrante syrup


Boil the potatoes until cooked but still firm.  You dont want these overcooked. Let them cool and peel the skins off. Grate potatoes and place into a large bowl. Add salt to taste and oil(about 3 tablespoons). Stir carefully as you dont want the potato to clump.  Add in all the chopped veggies and I usually add in sumac but you could use lemon juice or pomegrante syrup instead.  Stir through carefully.  Serve.


This looks really nice served in little unmoulded piles on a plate with chillies, radish wedges and boiled egg slices around it.


This is lovely with olive oil or a mixture of oil and mayonaise or oil and a couple tbsp yogurt.  I prefer plain olive oil.  


Turkish potato salad can also been seen as part of the meze dishes.