Turkish Delight is a candy that originated in Turkey in the 1700's. The gummy, sugarcoated candy was invented in 1777 by famous confectioner Bekir Effendi (known as Haci Bekir after the Muslim hajj pilgrimage). Haci Bekir owned a candy shop in the Bahcekapi district of Istanbul. Read more . Amazingly Haci Bekir’s shop is still open today in the exact same location. Run by his descendents, Haci Bekir Confectioners is in its fifth generation. It is the oldest company in Turkey to operate from its original location. It now has representative companies in England, Egypt, South Africa, Japan, France and America. The company sells Lokum in chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, orange, lemon, clotted cream, rose, cinnamon, bergamot, pineapple, honey and mint flavors. Haci Bekir’s descendants believe the first recipe for Lokum was based on an Anatolian sweetmeat traditionally made using honey or grape molasses (pekmez) as sweeteners and flour and water as a binding agent. By using sugar, which was newly available in Turkey, and cornflour (cornstarch), Haci Bekir transformed the sweetmeat into Lokum. The ingredients are melted together, boiled, then poured in a pan and allowed to cool. Lokum has a soft, gelatin-like texture, often with chopped nuts inside, and is its flavoring is very subtle. It is cut into bite-sized cubes and covered with confectioners’ sugar. Through the years the original recipe for Lokum has changed very little. Lokum became extremely popular among Turks and soon Haci Bekir was appointed chief confectioner for the Ottoman Court and awarded a medal of honor by the Sultan. The chief confectioner title remained in Haci Bekir’s family for generations to come. Ottoman Sultans enjoyed Lokum after meals to counteract the bitter taste of Turkish coffee. Janissaries gave Lokum to the to highly ranked court officials as a sign of loyalty to the saltan. During Seker Bayrami ( Candy Holiday ), which is a three day holiday following the month of Ramazan, Lokum is always in high demand. Lokum is also served on the 40th and 52nd day after a person’s death and on the anniversary of a funeral in a ceremony called mevlit. This religious gathering is either held at a home or a mosque. Lokum was soon discovered by an unknown English traveler who deemed the candy as “Turkish Delight” and introduced it to Europe. The name stuck, and in many countries around the world, Lokum is known as Turkish Delight. In France and the Balkan countries, Lokum was known as Lokoum. Lokum, called Turkish Delight, plays an interesting role in CS Lewis’ novel The Chronicles of Narnia and its Hollywood counterpart The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which was released in 2005. The film in particular introduced Americans to the age old Turkish candy. The White Witch of Narnia tempts young Edmund to bring his siblings to the ice castle with Turkish Delight. The irresistible temptation peeked the interest of many American viewers, and Turkish Delight sales hit a sudden high.This easy Turkish Delight recipe will tempt you