According to a statement made by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Oltu (Turkey), in 2009, Artvin was declared the place of origin of the cağ kebabı dish. This caused discontent among the residents of Erzurum (formerly Karin) and local kebab masters. Businessman Kemal Kokh stated that this unique food is a legacy of the Ottoman Empire.
As you probably know, when it comes to food in Turkey, the Turks attribute everything to the Ottoman Empire.
After the debate on dolma and the “homeland of basturma” which was being attributed to areas between Caesarea and Kastamon, Turkish cooks and businessmen made a statement: “We will not allow the attribution of dolma to the Armenians.”
And now, the belonging of cağ kebabı to Erzurum or Ardwin is being discussed online. Notably, translated from Armenian, “cağ” (dzagh, ՃԱՂ) means “metal skewer”.
The province of Erzurum (Karin) used to be the residence of Armenian kings. It has also been one of the provinces of Historical Armenia in the Ottoman Empire. The center of this Armenian-populated province was the city of Erzurum (Karin).
As of the first quarter of the 19th century, there were hundreds of cities and villages in the province, including Erzurum, Bayazet, Shapin-Garakhisar, Babard, Yeeznka, Siper, Derjan, Khnus, Kigi, Tamzara, Khorasan – all with Armenian historical names. The Armenians of this province were engaged in trade, crafts, animal husbandry, and viticulture. Churches, schools, homes, and lives of Armenians were built on this land.
Of course, the Armenians also knew how to horizontally cook kebabs on a spit.
As the dispute continued, Sechin Kurt, president of the Artvin Chamber of Commerce, announced that he had applied for a license for cağ kebabı. He noted that the authorities are trying to introduce Artvin to the whole world, and they are hoping to let the global community know that the Armenian villages and churches of Erzurum and Artvin are still being destroyed by treasure hunters.
westernarmeniatv.com
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