Kumru

Kumru is a sandwich made with its own roll, 16 to 18 cm long and tapered at the ends. The shape recalls a bird, hence the name: kumru means collared dove. The dough is wheat flour and water, often raised with chickpea leaven. It is coated with a mix of sesame and grape or fig molasses. The cold version holds tulum cheese, tomato and green pepper. For the hot one, the roll is toasted over charcoal and filled with grilled sucuk, salami, kaşar cheese and tomato.

The İzmir Chamber of Commerce registered İzmir kumrusu as a geographical indication on 7 December 2017. According to the registration, it has been made there for about 150 years; the hot version spread after the 1940s. The richer hot version is also called Çeşme kumrusu. Kiosks and street stalls sell it all day.

Dietary notes: gluten, sesame and dairy. The hot version contains sucuk and salami; the cold version has no meat.