Kilis Gün Pekmezi: Grape Molasses Thickened in the Sun

Lift the spoon and hold it for a moment. Watch the thin ribbon of grape molasses fall from its tip. Then dip in a small piece of bread and taste it before adding tahini or butter.

That is a good way to get to know Kilis gün pekmezi. As the concentrated grape flavour lingers, you may find yourself thinking about the time it took to reach that spoon.

Its story involves vineyards, sunshine and a fair amount of waiting.

What Is Gün Pekmezi?

Gün pekmezi is a traditional Kilis grape molasses whose prepared grape juice is left in the sun to thicken. Its defining stage comes when the clarified juice is poured into shallow trays and gradually loses water in the sunshine.

Spread across a broad surface, the liquid slowly becomes more concentrated. Watching its volume decrease gives you some sense of how much fruit goes into a jar.

What we eat a few spoonfuls at a time begins in much larger containers, with considerably more work behind it.

Is It Made Without Boiling?

Thickening the juice in sunlight does not mean that heat is absent from the entire process.

In the traditional method, the grapes are sorted, washed and crushed to release their juice. A white earth known locally as havara is used during clarification. After straining, resting and heating, the clarified liquid is transferred to trays.

It reaches its final consistency in the sun. Once sufficiently thick, it is strained again and poured into jars.

The care lies in preparing the juice properly, following its progress and keeping the settled sediment out of the finished molasses.

Does Every Jar Taste the Same?

The grapes, preparation method and point at which thickening is stopped can all influence the result. Colour, consistency and flavour intensity may therefore vary between producers.

If you have the chance to taste before buying, start with a small amount. Look beyond sweetness: notice how clearly the grape flavour comes through and what remains on your palate after swallowing.

Consider the texture alongside your own preferences, too. A thicker molasses is not automatically a better one. Taste it before deciding.

How Can You Enjoy It?

Begin with plain bread. As the molasses settles into its open crumb, you can appreciate the flavour without anything else competing for attention.

Next, try mixing a little with tahini in a small bowl. Watching the two colours swirl together is one of breakfast’s quiet pleasures. The roasted sesame flavour of the tahini accompanies the sweetness of the molasses.

You can also serve it with walnuts. There is no need for a large portion; a small dish and a few mouthfuls give you plenty of opportunity to enjoy it.

What Should You Ask When Buying?

Ask the producer which grapes they use, how they prepare the molasses and when it was made. For packaged products, read the ingredients and storage instructions.

The word “natural” alone tells you little about the production process. Knowing the ingredients, understanding how to store the product and buying from a traceable producer give you something more useful to work with.

Part of the pleasure of Kilis gün pekmezi is the long preparation held within a single jar. Once you open it and bring it to the table, your part is simple: break the bread, tear off a small piece and take your time with the first bite.