The Turkish Delight Factory of Adana
Found in the heart of the Seyhan district of Adana is one of the sweetest shops around. For decades, Tarihi Yeni Uğur Helvacısı has produced some of the world's most delicious delights. Turkish Delight, that is.
Meandering through the quaint, winding shopping streets near the Büyük Saat (or big clock tower), you might stumble across Yeni Uğur’s factory and flagship store. Merely entering the building stimulates the senses. First, the cool air conditioning is an appreciated respite from the warm Adana weather outside. Second is the aroma. The rich fragrance of freshly ground sesame seeds, simmering cauldrons of syrup, and sweet chocolate fill the room. Third, exceptional hospitality is on display from the moment you enter the door. Simply glancing at a certain variety of Turkish Delight will result in being offered a sample of the sugary confection. Take all you want. The seemly endless buffet of samples is completely free.
The store consists of two main sections. In one section, sesame products are the foremost attraction. The enormous sesame seed grinder in the middle of the store pumps out hundreds of liters of tahini (roasted sesame seed paste) each day. The tahini is either bottled or is used to produce helva, a sugary dessert beloved across numerous countries that make up the former Ottoman Empire.
The other section houses the headliner: Turkish Delight. Made famous to the Western world by the Chronicles of Narnia book series, many associate Turkish Delight with tiny cubes of fruit-flavored candy. While that is the most widely known variety, Turkish Delight (or, lokum in Turkish) encapsulates a diverse spectrum of sweet desserts. Pistachios, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, figs, grape molasses, coconut, marshmallow, caramel, and chocolate are all common ingredients in lokum.
Abundant options reside within the countertop showcases, each as beautiful and as tempting as the next. Lokum is sold by weight, and you can taste whatever it is you are looking to buy before making your purchase. If you can't visit their downtown flagship store, they have several locations across Adana.
If you have a sweet tooth or are interested in experiencing the local desserts of Adana, Tarihi Yeni Uğur Helvacısı is a destination you must visit!
TO OUR FRIENDS IN THE WEST, KEEP LOOKING EAST!
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This article first appeared on Explore Adana as Tarihi Yeni Uğur Helvacisi
Written By: Serena Swords
Photography and Videography By: Hannah Greer, Will Rockett, and Serena Swords
Serena Swords
A self-proclaimed “Calitexoman” (hailing from California, Texas, and Oklahoma), Serena is an eclectic mix of all of the places she has called home. Her most recent domicile is Norman, Oklahoma where she is a student at The University of Oklahoma studying International Relations and Administration. In laymen’s terms that means “event planner of the world,” as she hopes to connect businesses cross-culturally. Serena loves traveling, exploring new places, and most of all making new friends. While her impressive 5’10” frame makes the opposing volleyball team shake like a leaf, those of us that know her well love her affable demeanor and profoundly positive perspective on life. After you have explored all of her work on West2East and Explore Adana, you can find her personal work here.