Macun (in Turkish also Macun şekeri) is a soft, sweet and colorful Turkishtoffee paste.[1][2] It is a street food that may be prepared with many herbs and spices. Macun originated from spicy preparations of Mesir macunu,[3] a traditional Turkish herbal paste from the classical antiquity period. During classical antiquity, macun was consumed as a pharmaceutical medicine. It was historically served in a round tray with separate compartments for the various flavors, a serving style that has continued into modern times. The consumption of macun is a part of some Turkish customs.
Overview
Macun
Macun is a street food that is often sold outdoors,[1] especially during street festivals (panayır). It is a popular sweet among children.[1] The color of various macuns may be vivid or bright.[2] Macun may be prepared with a great deal of herbs and spices.[4] Ingredients to flavor macun have traditionally included bergamot, cinnamon, mastic, mint, rose, lemon and plum.[1]
Macun was purported to have therapeutic effects to give the body strength and to calm one's spirit.[1] Islamic physicians have prepared hundreds of different varieties of macun.[1] The various herbs and spices used were mixed with honey in macun preparation, the latter of which also served to preserve the product.[1] Various macuns have been served and consumed as both a medicine and as a confectionery (sweetmeats).[1] During the Ottoman period, macun named Neruz macunu, also referred to as nevruziyye, was consumed as both a medicine and confectionery.[1]
During the 17th century in Turkey, the dervish Seyyid Hasan denoted the consumption of two flavors of macun, respectively flavored with mint and sweet flag.[1] These macun varieties were served at meals he consumed with other dervishes and friends.[1] Hasan was a part of the Sunbuliyye mystic order, as its sheikh.[1]
Service
Macun being served in its traditional container
Macun is typically served in a round tin tray that has separate triangular-shaped compartments.[1] It may be served by scooping using a macuncu mablaği or macunkeș, which is shaped like a screwdriver.[1] The macun is scooped and then wrapped around a small stick.[1][2] This may be done with alternate flavors, which creates a striped sweet.[1] In Turkey, people that serve macun may be referred to as macuncu.[1]
History
In the past in Turkey, the serving trays were constructed from copper or wood, and street vendors would stand the macun trays upon portable tripods.[1] Others would carry macun in a container strapped to their waist with a belt, whereby the container had separate compartments for various flavors of the macun.[1] Some macun vendors in Istanbul, Turkey, would try to attract customers and compete with other vendors by playing music.[1] Street vendors would purvey macun to people at the Hıdırellez spring festival, on market days, holidays, at wedding processions,[1] and at other times.
Customs
In the Anatolia region, it is a wedding custom for the groom to eat macun on the night of his wedding.[4] The mesir bayrami ceremony in Manisa, Turkey, involves the distribution of macun to people on the streets.[4]
