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| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Alternative name(s) | Turkish bagel (United States) |
| Details | |
| Type | Bread |
| Main ingredient(s) | sesame seeds |
| Variations | Covrigi |
Simit (Turkish, Greek σιμίτι[1]), Aramaic qeluro/qelora, Greek koulouri (κουλούρι), đevrek (Serbian: ђеврек), gjevrek (Macedonian: ѓеврек), gevrek (Bulgarian: геврек), covrig (Romanian: covrig) (the last four, from "gevrek" in Turkish, meaning "crisp", which is, in some parts of Turkey, colloquial for "simit") is a circular bread with sesame seeds, very common in Turkey, as well as in Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia and other parts of the Balkans and Middle East such as Egypt and Lebanon. Simit's size, crunchiness/chewiness, and other characteristics vary slightly by region. In the city of İzmir, simit is known as "gevrek," although it is very similar to the Istanbul variety. Simits in Ankara, which is the capital of Turkey, are smaller and crisper than the ones in other cities. Simits in Turkey are made with molasses.
Drinking Turkish tea with simit is traditional in Turkish culture. Simit is generally served plain, or for breakfast with tea, fruit preserves, or cheese.
Simits are often sold by street vendors, who either have a simit trolley or carry the simit in a tray on their head. Street merchants generally advertise simit as fresh ("Taze simit!"/"Taze gevrek!") since they are baked throughout the day.
Simit is also known as "Turkish bagel" in USA.[2]
A type of bread very similar to simit is known in Poland as "obwarzanek". The main difference is that the rings of dough are poached briefly in boiling water prior to baking (similarly to bagels), instead of being dipped in water and molasses syrup, as is the case with simit.
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Etymology [edit]
A theory found on the Internet is that the word simit comes from Smiti, which is said to be a Byzantine Greek name for Nicomedia, the present-day Izmit. In actuality, the word comes from Arabic samīd (سميد), meaning white bread or fine flour.[3]
Variations [edit]
Simit has a long history in Istanbul. Archival sources show that the simit has been produced in Istanbul since 1525.[4] Based on Üsküdar court records (Şer’iyye Sicili) dated 1593,[5] the weight and price of simit was standardized for the first time. Famous 17th century traveler Evliya Çelebi wrote that there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul during 1630s [6] Jean Brindesi's early 19th century oil-paintings about Istanbul daily life show simit sellers on the streets.[7] Warwick Goble, too, made an illustration of these simit sellers of Istanbul in 1906.[8] Simit and its variants became a widespread bread-type all-around the Ottoman Empire in centuries.
Covrigi[9] is the plural form of the Romanian word covrig is the name of a type of Romanian salted bread topped with poppy, sesame seeds or large salt grains, especially in the central area of the country, and the recipe does not contain any added sweetener. In Romania the covrigi are a very popular fast food in urban areas and also as a holiday gift in rural areas.
Legend has it that covrigi were introduced by Greek merchants to Buzău, in the 1800s.[10] The identity with the German pretzels and the similarity with other Romanian pastry (sfintisori), instead, point instead to an earlier origin.
Covrigi are a famous speciality of the town of Buzău from Buzău County with a European reputation. Since January 1, 2007, the European Union accorded to covrigi from Buzău a Protected Geographical Status[11]
See also [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Simit |
References [edit]
- ^ Babiniotis dictionary, Andriotis dictionary, s.v.
- ^ Raisfeld, Robin and Rob Patronite (2009-10-18). "Lord of the Rings". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
- ^ Kees Versteegh, ed. (2008). Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics. IV (Q–Z). Brill. p. 262 (entry samīd). ISBN 978-90-04-14476-7.
- ^ Sahillioğlu, Halil. “Osmanlılarda Narh Müessesesi ve 1525 Yılı Sonunda İstanbul’da Fiyatlar”. Belgelerle Türk Tarihi 2 [The Narh Institution in the Ottoman Empire and the Prices in Istanbul in Late 1525. Documents in Turkish History 2] (Kasım 1967): 56
- ^ Ünsal, Artun. Susamlı Halkanın Tılsımı.[The Secret of the Ring with Sesames] İstanbul: YKY, 2010: 45
- ^ Evliya Çelebi Seyahatnâmesi Kitap I. [The Seyahatname Book I] (Prof. Dr. Robert Dankoff, Seyit Ali Kahraman, Yücel Dağlı). İstanbul: YKY, 2006: 231
- ^ Jean Brindesi, Illustrations de Elbicei atika. Musée des anciens costumes turcs d'Istanbul , Paris: Lemercier, [1855]
- ^ Alexander Van Millingen, Constantinople (London: Black, 1906) http://www.gutenberg.org/files/39620/39620-h/39620-h.htm
- ^ (Romanian)"Definition of covrig". DEX on line.
- ^ "Jos palaria in fata covrigarilor din Buzau!". pro TV.
- ^ "Covrigărie". Zenobia Bădescu.
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