Turkish delight
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Turkish delight or lokum is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, and hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often flavored with rosewater, mastic, Bergamot orange, or lemon. The confection is often packaged and eaten in small cubes dusted with icing sugar, copra, or powdered cream of tartar, to prevent clinging. Other common flavors include cinnamon and mint. In the production process, soapwort may be used as an emulsifying additive.
The origin of the confection is not well established, but it is known to have been produced in Turkey as early as the late 1700s, hence its name.
In popular culture
Turkish Delight (Dutch: Turks Fruit) is a Dutch book by Jan Wolkers, published in 1969. In 1973, Dutch director Paul Verhoeven released the film Turkish Delight, based on the book.
A reverse reference to Turkish Delight was made by the English entertainer Noël Coward when he said, "of course, in Turkey, I am known as English Delight."
In 1960's gay slang, a "Turk" was a man who enjoyed coupling with younger partners. Boys were then often referred to as "Turkish Delight," among other things.
