Adana Şalgamı

Appearance & taste

Adana Şalgamı is a fermented drink with a colour between violet and red, a cloudy appearance and a sour taste. The starter culture gives it its sour and slightly bitter taste. The pH is between 3.3 and 3.8, the total acidity (as lactic acid) is at least 6.0 g/l, and the salt content is at most 20 g/l. Colourings are not permitted.

Production

The basis is a mixture of black carrots (Daucus carota), turnips (Brassica rapa) and drinking water, which undergoes lactic acid fermentation with the addition of bulgur flour (dried, crushed wheat), sourdough starter culture and salt. For the starter culture, a mixture of bulgur flour, water, salt and a portion of already fermented sourdough is fermented for several days; the result is a culture dominated by lactic acid bacteria and yeasts.

How long the fermentation takes depends on the climate. The producers monitor it through aroma, colour and gas release as well as the pH, and decide when it ends. They also balance the proportions of carrots, turnips, bulgur, salt and water precisely: too few black carrots make the colour paler and the aroma weak, too many make the drink bitter. Preparation of the ingredients, fermentation and bottling must take place in the area.

Origin & history

The area comprises the city of Adana. None of the ingredients are grown there; the link with the area rests on the know-how of the producers, passed down from generation to generation without written instructions, and on the reputation of the drink.

According to the specification, its history goes back to the early period of the Ottoman Empire, when it was first offered as a refreshment. In Adana it has been sold on the street for many years; one of the oldest producers has been in business since 1930. According to the specification, it was served at the Adana Conference in January 1943 to Winston Churchill, who wanted to learn more about how it was made; the producer, however, kept the process to himself. The Adana Kebab and Adana Şalgamı Festival has been held in Adana for over 20 years.