Pekmez facts for kids
Pekmez is a thick, sweet syrup. It is made by boiling down fruit juices, especially from grapes. Sometimes, things like wood ashes or ground carob seeds are added to help thicken it. Pekmez is often eaten as a syrup or mixed with tahini for breakfast. In Azerbaijan, people sometimes mix pekmez with natural yogurt. They enjoy it as a cool treat in the summer.
Where the Name Comes From
The word "Pekmez" comes from an old Turkic language called Oghuz Turkic. Long ago, it was spelled bekmes. The very first time this word was written down was in a dictionary from 1073. This dictionary was called Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk and was written by Mahmud al-Kashgari.
A Look at History
Sweet fruit syrups, like grape syrup, have been made for a very long time. People were making them even in ancient times.
During the time of the Byzantine Empire, the area of Trapezus (which is now Trabzon in Turkey) grew many mulberry trees. These trees were used to feed silkworms. Local Armenians used mulberries to make a sweet syrup. They called this syrup petmez or pekmez. The Greeks in the area made a similar syrup from grapes, which they called siraios. After the Byzantine Empire ended, the name petmez became popular in Greek. It replaced the older Greek names for grape syrup and is now called petimezi.
Different Kinds of Pekmez
Pekmez can be made from many different fruits and plants.
In Turkey, pekmez is often made from sugar beet, figs, or mulberry. It can also be made from juniper berries. Pekmez made from carob is quite popular. Some people believe it can help with iron deficiency anemia, which is when your body doesn't have enough iron.
In Azerbaijan, pekmez is mostly made from mulberry, grape, rosehip, or pomegranates.
In the Balkans, pekmez is usually made from plums. It often has a thicker, more jam-like texture. In Greece, it is known as petimezi.
In Arab cuisine, a similar syrup is called dibs or dibis. It can be made from pomegranates, grapes, carob, or dates.
See also
In Spanish: Pekmez para niños
