Pekmez from Turkiye Kars city

The Healing Syrup of the Turks: Pekmez

On a hot summer day in Finike, a town famous for its oranges, my friend from Türkiye and I strolled through the vibrant farmers’ market.

The history of pekmez in Türkiye dates back to the 11th century, when the Turks first arrived in Anatolia—known for its abundant grape harvests. They learned winemaking techniques from local Christians, but over time, wine production gave way to grape cultivation for other purposes, though winemaking persisted throughout the Ottoman era.

Pekmez soon became the Turks’ favorite way to sweeten foods and desserts. Over time, they began extracting pekmez from nearly every fruit containing natural glucose. However, with the rise in demand for sugar in the 1950s, the production of pekmez declined significantly across the country.

Despite this shift, pekmez remains one of the most cherished traditional foods in Türkiye, valued not only for its taste but also for its health benefits.