04.10.2025 10:34
The Araköy bread, produced with a century-old sourdough in the Kürtün district of Gümüşhane, stands out with its laborious 8-hour production process and its massive size of 4 kilograms, which is registered with a geographical indication.
In the village of Araköy, which is connected to the district, the geographically certified Araköy bread, which has been kneaded with the same sourdough for over a century and baked in stone ovens with wood fire, carries its flavor both within the country and beyond its borders after a laborious production process. This unique taste has gained fame that extends from the mountains of Gümüşhane to tables in New York and Mecca.
The secret of Araköy bread lies in just four basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and sourdough that has been passed down from generation to generation for over a century. Prepared without any additives, this bread stands out with its natural and healthy composition.
Thanks to the initiatives of the Gümüşhane Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Araköy bread received the "Geographical Indication Registration Certificate" from the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office in 2019, thus protecting both its quality and traditional production methods.
THE RESULT OF 8 HOURS OF PATIENCE AND EFFORT
The process of bringing a loaf of Araköy bread, which is also a cultural heritage of Gümüşhane, to the table requires 8 hours of patience and effort.
The carefully prepared dough is slowly baked in stone ovens over a wood fire. Each loaf, which weighs an average of 4 kilograms when it comes out of the oven, also stands out with its filling nature and long-lasting freshness.
This bountiful flavor, which can meet the bread needs of an average family for about a week, especially becomes indispensable for crowded tables.
IT EVEN CHANGED THE NAME OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
The increasing demand for Araköy bread in recent years has also affected the social structure of the village. Bread production has become so central that the name of the neighborhood where production is concentrated has become "Bakery Neighborhood."
SALES ARE MADE BY WEIGHT
Araköy bread, which is considered one of the best breads in the world by sourdough bread authorities, is sold by weight rather than by piece.
After being baked, it is taken to the villages, plateaus, and camps in the region by almost all producers, and in recent years, it has been sent to all corners of Turkey, as well as to various parts of the world, including Mecca and New York, through the internet and other communication channels.
"WE DO NOT USE ANY ADDITIVES"
Ersoy Tozlu, who has been making Araköy bread in the way he learned from his grandfather for 20 years in the Bakery Neighborhood, stated, "I produce natural sourdough whole wheat bread as a family profession. I have been in this business for 20 years. We do not use any additives. We only use flour, water, and salt. We bake it in four hours. We heat our oven with wood fire for four hours. It stays inside for four hours. It is completely natural. There are no additives. With the fermentation and preparation of the dough, a loaf of bread emerges in an average of 8-9 hours. Since it is baked slowly for four hours and because it contains its essence, it is dense inside, preserves itself, and its crust protects it. In other words, it has a shelf life of about a week to ten days," he said.
IT CAN LAST A YEAR WHEN DRIED
Tozlu mentioned that they also sell Araköy bread after slicing it and drying it in the oven for 24 hours as rusks, stating that this has a shelf life of one year, "We sell both depending on the region. It depends on the local taste. In some regions, we sell the dried ones the most, while in others, we sell the fresh ones the most. I sent some to Istanbul. A few years ago, I gave some to the pilgrims, and they took it with them. I travel an average of 150-200 kilometers daily to sell in nearby villages and plateaus. If someone who eats this gets used to it, meaning if they are regular consumers, they will call us and always want it. Sometimes we deliver to their homes. We also do cargo. We send it to other provinces by bus. We also have wholesale sales," he explained.
"IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU GAIN WEIGHT BECAUSE IT IS LIKE A DIET BREAD"
Münir Tozlu, who lives in Istanbul and frequently visits his hometown, said, "After retiring, we go back and forth to the village. I bring Gümüşhane's sourdough wheat bread from the Istanbul region weekly upon request. This time, I am taking 300 kilograms of bread. It is delicious, filling, and not bothersome, so those who taste this flavor know it. Since it is like a diet bread, it does not make you gain weight. Those who know it find and call us. They can find it in the village, in Istanbul, or anywhere in Turkey. In other words, this bread has become widespread now. That is why it is delicious, filling, and not bothersome, so those who taste it know it," he said.
"I TAKE 300-400 KILOS TO ISTANBUL, BUT IT IS GONE IN TWO DAYS"
Tozlu noted that the rusks prepared by drying the fresh bread also received intense interest, saying, "It is irresistible in tea, breakfast, yogurt, and soup. Mostly, fresh bread is sold. I take 300-400 kilograms to bring to Istanbul, but it is already gone in two days," he said.