Traditional Ottoman Sherbet
With summer on the way, it is the perfect time to enjoy this sweet and colourful drink that has been part of Türkiye’s story for centuries!
Ingredients:
- 2 kilograms fresh sour cherries (pitted)
- 1 litre of water
- 1–2 cups honey (before sugar became widely available, honey was standard)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3–4 cloves
- 1 small piece of mastic or a few rose petals (optional for fragrance)
- Juice of one lemon
How To Make Traditional Ottoman Sherbet
- Place the cherries in a heavy copper pot. Crush lightly with a wooden pestle to release their juices.
- Add the water and bring to a gentle simmer over a low charcoal fire.
- Add the cinnamon and cloves.
- Let it simmer for about 20–25 minutes, skimming any foam that forms on top.
- Strain the mixture through a fine cloth or muslin bag into a clean vessel.
- Stir in honey while the liquid is still warm so it dissolves completely.
- Adjust sweetness to taste — in Ottoman kitchens, sherbet was meant to be sweet yet not cloying.
- For special occasions, a few drops of rosewater or crushed rose petals were added at this stage for aroma.
- Pour the concentrated sherbet into tall glass flasks or ceramic jugs, seal, and set it in a cool marble basin filled with snow or ice brought from the Uludağ mountains (yes, ice was stored in underground pits all year).
- To serve, the concentrate was diluted with cold water (about 1 part sherbet to 3 parts water), poured over crushed ice, and garnished with a sprig of mint or a slice of lemon.
- The sherbet was presented in crystal goblets or fine porcelain cups, often to guests as a gesture of welcome.