Maras Bun Description and Distinguishing Features of the Product: Çörek is a traditional Turkish pastry made and enjoyed across many regions of Turkey, each varying in ingredients and preparation methods. Maraş Çöreği is a specialty unique to the Kahramanmaraş region, known for its distinctive ingredients and baking techniques. This pastry is especially popular among the residents of Kahramanmaraş, with its consumption peaking during the Ramadan period. Originally, the dough was prepared at home for personal use and baked in traditional ovens. Over time, Maraş Çöreği became available in bakeries and pastry shops. For the last three decades, it has been produced commercially in Kahramanmaraş and widely enjoyed by the local community. Important characteristics of Çörek include baking in a stone oven, rolling the dough balls using a grooved beechwood rolling pin, and limiting the dough's diameter to a maximum of 15 cm. Additionally, the dough can be rolled out into smaller sizes according to customers’ preferences. The grooved (toothed) beechwood rolling pin measures 8 cm in width and 33 cm in length, with grooves that are 0.5 cm deep and spaced 0.5 cm apart. This special rolling pin is handcrafted from beechwood by skilled artisans in Kahramanmaraş. The production of the grooved beechwood rolling pin is mainly centered in the Kahramanmaraş region. Production Method: Maraş Çöreği is prepared using flour, water, margarine, fresh yeast, salt, and cumin. Once combined into dough, the mixture is shaped into balls weighing about 110 grams each. These dough balls are then rolled out with a grooved beechwood rolling pin to a maximum diameter of 15 cm, featuring grooves spaced 0.5 cm apart and with a groove depth of 0.5 cm. This technique forms small square patterns on the dough’s surface, with an average thickness of 2 mm before baking. The dough is baked in traditional stone ovens fueled by oak wood fire, resulting in a final thickness of approximately 8 mm. Preparation of Maraş Çöreği: Ingredients: 10 kg flour, up to 4 kg margarine, 120-130 g salt, 20-30 g cumin, 250 g fresh yeast, and 4 liters of water. Flour: The flour used is standard bread flour, derived from common wheat. Water: High-quality, potable water is required for dough making. Margarine: Vegetable margarine, similar to that used in baklava production, is preferred. Fresh Yeast: Only fresh yeast is used for fermentation. Salt: Salt must be pure, edible, and clean to enhance flavor and aroma. Cumin: Cumin used should be fresh and suitable for consumption. At the beginning, water, salt, yeast, and cumin are combined in a kneading bowl and mixed thoroughly until a consistent blend is achieved. Next, margarine is incorporated into the mixture and mixing continues. Finally, all of the flour is added, and kneading proceeds for about 10-15 minutes until the dough develops a smooth surface. After resting for 5-10 minutes, skilled artisans form the dough into balls weighing approximately 110 grams each. These dough balls then rest for another 10 minutes before being rolled out and baked. The rested dough balls are flattened using a grooved beechwood rolling pin, which creates small square impressions on the dough’s surface. To stop the dough from puffing up or doming while baking, the surface is gently tapped with the rolling pin tip at various spots. The dough is baked in a stone oven preheated to around 250 °C, fueled by oak wood fire, until it attains a distinctive golden cream color, usually within 3-5 minutes. Once baked, the Maraş Çörekleri are cooled on wooden racks and can be enjoyed either warm or cold, depending on personal taste.