Bursa Peach

"Bursa Peach… Bursa is a city renowned for its peaches. With numerous varieties grown across the province, the peach remains one of the most beloved fruits of the summer months. Thought to have spread across the globe from China, the peach is traditionally regarded as a symbol of longevity and immortality (Turkey Cultural Portal, 2017b).

The fame of the Bursa Peach dates back to ancient times. Research has uncovered records in the Ottoman archives reaching back to 1848 and 1881. These records demonstrate that the Bursa Peach was renowned for its exquisite flavor and was sent as a prestigious gift both to family members and to the Imperial Palace.

In the Ottoman provisioning policy (iaşe), the Imperial Kitchen, known as the 'Matbah-ı Amire,' held a position of paramount importance. The products selected for this kitchen were curated with exceptional care, and all expenditures were meticulously documented in the accounting records (Barkan, 1963).

The products sent from Bursa to the Imperial Palace have always been the finest of their kind (Bilgin, 1999).

It is observed that meat, vegetables, fruits, and dairy products were also shipped from Bursa to Istanbul. Among the primary products sent were melons, watermelons, mulberries, chestnuts, pomegranates, cherries, strawberries, peaches, walnuts, onions, olives, cheese, olive oil, vinegar, and grapes (Çiftçi, 2004).

It is reported that Bursa was already renowned for its peaches in the 1940s, with high demand for peach preserves and canned peaches from both domestic and international markets (Orak, 1946).