Beypazarı Walnut Sweet Sucuk

Ankara Province’s Beypazarı district is associated with a traditional confection produced within this geographical boundary. It has been officially registered as a geographical indication by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. The product is made by threading walnut kernels onto strings, dipping them twice into a specially prepared hot dough, and then drying them in open air. The product’s long history and its significant role in Beypazarı’s culinary culture reinforce its connection to this geographical area.

Product Characteristics

Beypazarı walnut-stuffed sweet sucuk is produced by dipping walnut kernels threaded onto strings into a specially prepared dough known as köfterlik, followed by drying. Köfterlik is made by adding wheat flour to a thick mixture obtained after boiling and settling ak püskül grape juice with pekmez soil ("maya"). Once dried and ready for consumption, the product can be stored for 7 to 8 months in a dry environment. Depending on consumer preference, the product may also be desired after 2 to 3 months, when it naturally develops a sugary coating. It is sold either in pieces with the strings removed or intact, still on the strings.

Production Method

The production process uses ak püskül grapes grown within the geographical boundary. The grape juice is mixed with pekmez soil ("maya"), which has a clayey and calcareous structure, and boiled in a non-oxidizing copper cauldron ("kestime"). After resting, the sediment settles to the bottom. The fermented grape juice is then boiled again to produce a thick, dark substance known as "kızartma". Approximately 100 kg of kızartma is mixed with 18–20 kg of wheat flour and cooked for 30 to 45 minutes in pans called "sucuk tavası" to prepare the köfterlik (dough).

Walnut kernels threaded onto strings 100 cm in length are dipped twice into the hot köfterlik: first while still hot, and again half an hour later before it cools. After these dips, the walnut-stuffed sucuk is hung on reed mats and dried in open air for 10 to 15 days.

Geographical Boundary and Oversight

All stages of production, processing, and other operations for Beypazarı walnut-stuffed sweet sucuk must be carried out within the geographical boundary of Beypazarı district in Ankara Province, in order to preserve the product’s reputation and traditional production method.

Supervision of the product is conducted by a monitoring body established under the coordination of the Beypazarı Municipality. This body consists of three experts: one each from the Beypazarı Municipality, the Beypazarı District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Beypazarı Chamber of Commerce. Inspections are carried out annually as a routine measure or whenever a complaint is received. During inspections, the suitability of ingredients, compliance with the production method, and the correct use of the registered designation, logo, and emblem are verified.