Post by depletedreasons on Dec 14, 2007 4:03:23 GMT -5
Turkish delight turns to sweet sorrow
Turkish Delight
Michael Theodoulou in Nicosia
Relations between Greek Cypriots and Turkey have never been sweet. Now they could become even stickier.
Greek Cypriot confectioners are set to win EU trademark protection for a traditional confection under the name Loukoumi Yeroskipou. This is leaving a bitter aftertaste in Turkey where the same sweet is known as lokum — or Turkish delight.
Cyprus, an EU member since 2004, put in its bid for trademark protection before Turkey and will therefore get official recognition for its sweet. Exporters hope that the trademark will boost sales overseas.
The culinary one-upmanship has upset confectioners in Turkey, who stake a historical claim to the delicacy. Turkey does not yet have an official trademark for Turkish delight. Although Turks will be able to apply for their own trademark, the fact that the EU member-country, Cyprus, has won the first legal recognition for its version is a blow to national esteem and risks increasing fears that Turkey is being frozen out of Europe.
Adnan Ozdogru, who runs a lokum company in the southern Turkish city of Adana, said: “Turkish lokum has been known as Turkish delight in the world market for years. The Greek Cypriots don't know anything about how lokum is made.”
Nonsense, countered George Gabriel, the head of Aphrodite Delights, a loukoumi maker in the village of Yeroskipou, home to the industry in Cyprus, and the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. “No one can claim loukoumi as their own,” he said, pointing out that the same recipe was used in Greece and Lebanon as well as Turkey and Cyprus. Mr Gabriel's company has been making the sugar-dusted sweet since 1895 and produces 400 tonnes a year, about half the island's annual production. He insists that only in Britain is the sweet known as Turkish delight. “In the rest of the world it is known as lokum or loukoumi,” he told The Times.
National pride rather than export revenues is at stake for Turkey. Turkish producers will still be able to sell their sweet under the name Turkish delight or lokum. This has given Turkish producers an advantage in Britain, a key export market, because most British customers readily recognise Turkish Delight. Only British-born Cypriots refer to the sweet as loukoumi and Greek Cypriot manufacturers have even lost custom in Britain because they did not call it Turkish delight.
Mr Gabriel hopes that the PGI (protected geographical indication) status from the EU will help to familiarise more customers in Britain with the loukoumi name.
TASTE FOR A FIGHT
— In 2003 a European court ruling prevented the Asda supermarket chain from selling ham, sliced in Wiltshire, as “Parma” ham
— In 2004 some supermarkets in Italy were found to be selling Norwegian salmon in tartan packaging and calling it “Scottish”
— From the start of this year, feta cheese has held protected status within the EU and can only be produced in Greece
— In June this year the Italian farmers’ union, Coldiretti, launched a campaign against “counterfeit Italian foods”
Source: Times archive, agencies
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3048264.ece
Turkish Delight
Michael Theodoulou in Nicosia
Relations between Greek Cypriots and Turkey have never been sweet. Now they could become even stickier.
Greek Cypriot confectioners are set to win EU trademark protection for a traditional confection under the name Loukoumi Yeroskipou. This is leaving a bitter aftertaste in Turkey where the same sweet is known as lokum — or Turkish delight.
Cyprus, an EU member since 2004, put in its bid for trademark protection before Turkey and will therefore get official recognition for its sweet. Exporters hope that the trademark will boost sales overseas.
The culinary one-upmanship has upset confectioners in Turkey, who stake a historical claim to the delicacy. Turkey does not yet have an official trademark for Turkish delight. Although Turks will be able to apply for their own trademark, the fact that the EU member-country, Cyprus, has won the first legal recognition for its version is a blow to national esteem and risks increasing fears that Turkey is being frozen out of Europe.
Adnan Ozdogru, who runs a lokum company in the southern Turkish city of Adana, said: “Turkish lokum has been known as Turkish delight in the world market for years. The Greek Cypriots don't know anything about how lokum is made.”
Nonsense, countered George Gabriel, the head of Aphrodite Delights, a loukoumi maker in the village of Yeroskipou, home to the industry in Cyprus, and the birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. “No one can claim loukoumi as their own,” he said, pointing out that the same recipe was used in Greece and Lebanon as well as Turkey and Cyprus. Mr Gabriel's company has been making the sugar-dusted sweet since 1895 and produces 400 tonnes a year, about half the island's annual production. He insists that only in Britain is the sweet known as Turkish delight. “In the rest of the world it is known as lokum or loukoumi,” he told The Times.
National pride rather than export revenues is at stake for Turkey. Turkish producers will still be able to sell their sweet under the name Turkish delight or lokum. This has given Turkish producers an advantage in Britain, a key export market, because most British customers readily recognise Turkish Delight. Only British-born Cypriots refer to the sweet as loukoumi and Greek Cypriot manufacturers have even lost custom in Britain because they did not call it Turkish delight.
Mr Gabriel hopes that the PGI (protected geographical indication) status from the EU will help to familiarise more customers in Britain with the loukoumi name.
TASTE FOR A FIGHT
— In 2003 a European court ruling prevented the Asda supermarket chain from selling ham, sliced in Wiltshire, as “Parma” ham
— In 2004 some supermarkets in Italy were found to be selling Norwegian salmon in tartan packaging and calling it “Scottish”
— From the start of this year, feta cheese has held protected status within the EU and can only be produced in Greece
— In June this year the Italian farmers’ union, Coldiretti, launched a campaign against “counterfeit Italian foods”
Source: Times archive, agencies
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3048264.ece