Belen Komurcukuru Molasses Product Description and Distinctive Features: Belen Kömürçukuru Pekmezi is a thick and spreadable molasses made by blending pre-made solid grape molasses into liquid grape molasses, following the specific production process. It falls under the category of sweet and firm grape molasses. The product is particularly recognized by its local name, Belen Kömürçukuru Pekmezi, due to its production in the Kömürçukuru Neighborhood of the Belen district. This molasses is closely tied to the region's identity and reputation. Belen Kömürçukuru Pekmezi is produced in accordance with the regulations of the Turkish Food Codex and is made available to consumers. The color of Belen Kömürçukuru Pekmezi ranges from cream-brown to light brown shades. This color variation is influenced by the duration of the beating process. As the beating time increases, the color of the molasses becomes lighter. Production Method: Throughout the production of Belen Kömürçukuru Pekmezi, only food-grade tools and equipment are utilized. The grapes, preferably sourced from the specified geographical area, are carefully selected after harvesting, sorted, and washed. For molasses production, approximately 200 kg of grapes are combined with 2-3 kg of calcium carbonate, locally known as molasses soil, following the relevant food safety regulations. The grapes are initially crushed using machinery, then transferred to traditional wooden troughs, known as "megene", for further crushing. The extracted grape juice is then boiled in copper trays with flat bottoms, referred to as "lakın". After boiling, the juice is left to rest for 30-60 minutes. The lukewarm juice is filtered using strainers called "cehmer", then boiled again. The boiling process continues until the grape juice achieves the desired consistency. During this process, stirring is facilitated by mixers known as "kernep" in the region. Once the grape molasses reaches the ideal consistency, it is transferred to wooden troughs to rest for about two days, during which it is periodically beaten. This beating is done either with traditional wooden shovels called "külek" or with modern equipment featuring a mixing head. Before being packaged, the molasses is thoroughly mixed with approximately 1% of previously produced solid grape molasses, locally known as "bölgede maya" (regional yeast). This step ensures the molasses solidifies properly inside the packaging.