3 november 2008

finally, saloop

Found and drunk at last in Selçuk, Turkey, after a long quest. Saloop stalls died out in London in the 19th cent., replaced by coffee, but it used to be a breakfast staple, either by the cup or in a bowl with a slice of bread.
It's smooth, creamy, sticky and sweet, with a slight granular starchiness. This cup had a dusting of cinnamon. It's a winter drink in Turkey, and you can see why. And why it's also a perfect breakfast: a buzz of sugar followed by a long slow starch release, similar to cereals.
The same orchid tuber that makes saloop, called salep, is also used in Levantine ice-creams, and I had one of these too: probably similar to what used to be called here hokey pokey, stretchy and taffy-like:

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