Arab Origins of Tavukgögsü and Blancmange

An Overlooked History

Abstract

The origins of the European blancmange and the Turkish tavukgögsü (chicken-breast (white) pudding) have been the subject of academic and culinary interest for many years. Usually, both have been traced back to Roman sources: John Ayto, author of The Diner’s Dictionary, repeats a claim that blancmange originates from De re coquinaria; while Tugrul Savkay, a Turkish gourmet and author of books about the history of Turkish cuisine, suggests the same is true of tavukgögsü. De re coquinaria, also known as Apicius, allegedly included a recipe that resembles both dishes; however, it failed to survive in modern copies of the book. This article argues that the antecedents of both blancmange and tavukgögsü are actually harisa recipes that are cooked in the Arab world to this day.