24.05.2025 18:13
With the application of the Menemen Municipality in İzmir, Menemen has been registered as a geographical indication by TÜRKPATENT. The registered Menemen recipe has put an end to the long-standing debate in Turkish cuisine: "Should Menemen be made with or without onions?" The recipe includes ingredients such as olive oil, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggs, salt, and black pepper.
The Mayor of Menemen, Aydın Pehlivan, initiated a project to register the Menemen dish with the same name as the district by applying to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT). TÜRKPATENT, which evaluated the application, registered Menemen as a geographical indication.
"NOW OFFICIALLY MENEMEN BELONGS TO MENEMEN"
In the statement, Pehlivan expressed that they see it as their responsibility to preserve the cultural values of the region and pass them on to future generations. Stating that the geographical indication is very valuable, Pehlivan said, "The geographical indication we received for the Menemen of Menemen district has become both a symbol and a fruit of our efforts. Our Menemen dish, which can proudly be consumed at every meal and is associated with our district, now officially belongs to Menemen and the people of Menemen."
FINAL WORD ON THE DEBATES
The registered Menemen recipe has also put an end to the long-standing debates in Turkish cuisine about "Should Menemen be made with or without onions?" The registered Menemen is prepared using olive oil, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggs, salt, and black pepper.
The debate over whether Menemen should be made with or without onions has become one of the most heated discussions in Turkish cuisine. While some argue that onions add flavor and depth to Menemen, others claim that true Menemen should only be made with tomatoes, peppers, and eggs. When food critic Vedat Milor opened the topic for discussion on his X account, 50.6% of users said it should be made with onions, while 49.4% said it should be made without.