Cultural History of Muhallebicis in İstanbul

“In the old days, muhallebicis smelled only of cinnamon, rosewater and finally, burnt milk.” Refik Halid Karay, Sonuncu Kadeh
This book explores the cultural and historical meanings of muhallebicis which were once among the central components of everyday life in Istanbul. Far from being a simple milk-based dessert, muhallebi carries layered histories rooted in language, craftsmanship and social memory.
Tracing a trajectory from the Ottoman period to the Republican era and into contemporary urban culture, the book follows muhallebi’s passage through poetry, novels and cinema as well as street vendors and established shops embedded in the city’s daily rhythms. Drawing on archival research and fieldwork it examines the profound transformations of the twentieth century, when urbanization, ecological loss and industrial food production reconfigured traditional supply chains and reshaped the muhallebici to a great extent into a hybrid café-restaurant space. It also revisits forgotten objects, sounds and practices from vanished muhallebi spoons to recipes no longer prepared while attending to what has persisted amid change. Addressing scholars in the social sciences, gastronomy professionals and readers interested in Istanbul and its culinary heritage, this book ultimately asks a simple yet thought-provoking question: What remains of the scents of cinnamon, rosewater and burnt milk in the muhallebicis of today’s Istanbul?