Edirne Fresh Fruit Soap Description and Distinguishing Features of the Product: Edirne Mis Meyve Sabunu (also known as Edirne Mis Fruit Soap) is a unique soap made from white soap, yellow and green transparent soap, essence, water, food coloring, and decorative accessories. Its origins trace back to the 1600s. In the 17th century, a soap mixture made with musk, amber, and rose essence was kneaded to a dough-like consistency. The soap was then molded to resemble real fruits in size and color, leading to the creation of fruit-shaped soaps. Over time, these fruit soaps became prized gifts presented to the Ottoman palace and foreign as well as local dignitaries, making the craft of fruit soap making an important profession in Edirne. These fruit soaps, enhanced with added essence, release a refreshing fragrance and are commonly known as "mis sabunu" (mis soap). Due to the priority placed on fulfilling orders for the palace throughout history, Edirne Mis Meyve Sabunu is also called "saray sabunu" (palace soap). It is referred to in historical sources as "padişah sabunu" (sultan's soap) because of the sultan’s meticulous attention to both hygiene and the art of gift-giving. The craft of making fruit soaps, favored by both the government and the public, became especially popular in Edirne during the early 19th century. In fact, due to the high volume of mis fruit soap production in Edirne at that time, a neighborhood was named "Sabuni" (Soap-Making). The exceptional quality of production during this period resulted in the widespread recognition of fruit soap making as a respected art form in Edirne. Production Method: The soaps used in production are first passed through shredding machines with a 2% moisture content. After that, 150 grams of hot water per kilogram is added, and the mixture is kneaded into a dough. To give the dough a pleasant fragrance, essence is incorporated. The mixture is left to rest for a day, after which the dough is divided into pieces that resemble real fruits in size. Each piece is meticulously shaped by hand to look like actual fruits. Decorative details such as fruit seeds, leaves, and stems are added based on the type of fruit, ensuring they resemble the real thing. The fruit-shaped soap is then allowed to rest and dry for 3 to 5 days, depending on the humidity and temperature. Once the drying process is complete, the soap is painted with food coloring to match the natural colors of the fruit and left to set again. Afterward, it is dipped into hot waxing pots to achieve a glossy finish. Following this, the soap undergoes a final waiting period of 48 hours. Once the wax has fully dried, the soaps are collected from the drying racks, individually wrapped in protective paper, and prepared for packaging. The fruit shapes used in the soap production include melon, watermelon slice, quince, peach, lemon, banana, pomegranate, red apple, green apple, golden apple, plum, strawberry, apricot, yellow grape, green grape, purple grape, orange, green pear, yellow pear, pineapple, green fig, black fig, cherry, and broken pomegranate. If they are not soaked in water, these soaps can maintain their original appearance without deteriorating for 10-15 years.