AN ENGLISH DELIGHT
At the risk of sounding rather like Noel Coward who claimed he was known as an English Delight in Turkey, Turkish Delight has had its affeciandos in England since it was introduced around the middle of the 19th Century. And, of course, us antipodean cousins are fans too. Interestingly enough, Turkish Delight is not well known in North America.
In its native lingo Turkish Delight is known as Lokam. And in this native setting it is served fresh and still slightly warm off the stove. Fresh Turkish Deight is like no other - brushed with sugar, the outer edges of the candy squares are tender and the insides yield to the bite and dissolve in your mouth with melting gooeyness.
Turkish Delight first appeared in Turkey in the late 18th Century. Considered the perfect accompaniment to Turkish coffee, Brisbane Sponge has found that Turkish Delight is even better with tea. When we find the perfect tea we are on the hunt for it will even be better.
Napoleon, Chuchill and Picasso all had an addiction to Turkish Delight. And it is the addictive confection to which Edmund Pevensie succumbs in C.S.Lewis's 1950 book, "The Lion, The Witch And the Wardrobe."
If making your own fresh Turkish Deight sounds all too difficult, seek out the Sultan brand - it is the best of the commercial offerings. Metling gooeyness it is not but it is not bad. Try some!