Van Kavut Product Description and Distinctive Features: The city of Van, historically a hub for travelers along the Silk Road, has developed a rich and diverse breakfast culture. This tradition includes a variety of local specialties such as herb cheese, clotted cream, honey, Murtuğa, Kavut, butter, cacık (yogurt with cucumber), rose jam, ilitme, and çörek (a type of pastry). Among these, Kavut holds a special place as a fundamental element of Van's breakfast culture, reflecting the region’s strong ties to animal husbandry. Van Kavut traces its origins back to the era of the Urartu civilization, during a time when prolonged wars affected the Van region. Historical evidence shows that it was part of the soldiers’ diet in Urartian times and has endured through the centuries. Extensive archaeological excavations lasting 42 years in Van uncovered important clues about Urartian cuisine. These findings revealed that crops such as wheat, lentils, and chickpeas were cultivated in the area during the Urartu period, and traces of kavut, a dish dating back 3,000 years, were discovered in the lower sections of the ancient fortresses. Kavut, made from a mixture of wheat, milk, and butter, is regarded as one of the region’s oldest culinary traditions. In the late 16th century, Şeref Han, and in the late 17th century, Evliya Çelebi—who traveled through Van and Bitlis—mentioned consuming gavut (kavut) made from millet in the mountainous areas. Evliya Çelebi noted that during his travels, he was repeatedly served "Poksin (kavut)" in nearly every household. He described the dish as "...a delightful meal prepared with milk, millet, and butter, generously offered to almost all guests." Although kavut is traditionally consumed in the Lake Van Basin and throughout the Middle East, a variation called apple kavut (elmalı kavut) was once prepared but is no longer made due to the lack of the specific apple variety once used. Kavut is customarily enjoyed alongside molasses, rose jam, or honey, typically accompanied by flatbread. Prepared by roasting wheat flour soaked in milk and ground with its peel, then blended with butter, Van Kavut is highly nutritious. Historically known as the food of early risers, it is served both at breakfast and during pre-dawn meals in local culture. Its composition includes 94.2-94.8% dry matter, 3.32-3.55% fat, 4.14-4.32% ash, and 13.2-13.9% protein. Production Method: The flour used in Kavut must come from a local wheat variety known as Tir wheat (T. aestivum Var. aestivum L. ssp. Leucospermum Körn.), cultivated specifically in Van. What makes Tir wheat unique is its ability to grow well in Van’s soil, which is low in organic matter and exposed to harsh climatic conditions. This wheat can be planted at a depth of 10-15 cm due to the length of its coleoptile (the protective sheath around the emerging leaf), possesses a deep root system, grows tall, and shows strong disease resistance. The wheat is soaked in milk for 12 hours without removing its husk, then dried in a shaded area with warm air before being ground using a hand mill. Hand mill: This traditional mill consists of two cylindrical stones with a central hole (see Figure-1). A wooden axle passes through these holes, and the upper stone is manually rotated by turning an attached handle. The hand mills, made from durable basalt stone found in the region, ensure the flour remains coarse and free from contact with any chemical substances or foreign materials.