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Dishes you should try in Tercan: Tercan Honey, Tandır Kebabı, Kesme Çorbası (thin-cut dough soup) and Ekşili Köfte (sour meatballs). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Tercan is famous for.

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Famous Dishes of Tercan

  • Tercan Honey

    Tercan Honey was registered as a protected designation of origin on 21 November 2025 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1792). Product group: honey. Registered by: Tercan Village Services Union.

  • Tandır Kebabı

    Lamb slow-cooked for hours in an earth tandır oven. It takes on a special flavour from the meat of sheep raised on Tercan's highland pastures.

  • Kesme Çorbası (thin-cut dough soup)

    A traditional soup of thinly cut dough pieces cooked in meat broth; a dish never absent from tables in Tercan's harsh winter conditions.

  • Ekşili Köfte (sour meatballs)

    Meatballs kneaded from fine bulgur and minced meat, cooked in a sour tomato sauce. One of the characteristic flavours of Erzincan cuisine, this dish is also widely prepared in Tercan.

Dishes from Erzincan Cuisine

What to eat in Erzincan →

These dishes are known throughout Erzincan province; see the provincial food guide for details.

  • Erzincan Tulum Peyniri (Erzincan goatskin-cured cheese)

    A cheese with a registered geographical indication, matured in a skin tulum.

  • Erzincan Kesme Kadayıfı (Erzincan cut kadayıf)

    Kadayıf with a registered geographical indication.

  • Kemaliye Lök Tatlısı (Kemaliye lök dessert)

    An Eğin dessert with a registered geographical indication.

  • Erzincan Üzümlü Sarucu (Erzincan sarucu with raisins)

    A local dish with a registered geographical indication.

  • Erzincan Sütlacı (Erzincan rice pudding)

    A rice pudding (sütlaç) with a registered geographical indication.

What to Buy in Tercan: Local Products

  • Tercan Honey Flower honey gathered on the high pastures of the district; thanks to its rich flora, it is an aromatic and high-quality product. Beekeeping is an important livelihood in the region.
  • Tulum Cheese Tulum cheese, produced from goat's and sheep's milk by traditional methods, takes on its distinctive sharp taste when matured on Tercan's highland pastures.

What Tercan Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions

  • Melike Mama Hatun Heritage

    Tercan is associated with the name of Melike Mama Hatun, the female ruler of the Saltukid Beylik in the 12th century. Mama Hatun made the region an important trade and lodging centre by building a caravanserai, a tomb, a mosque and a hammam. The district's former name was also Mama Hatun.

  • Historic Trade Route Junction

    In the Middle Ages, Tercan was a strategic junction where the road from Erzurum–Erzincan–Sivas met the road coming from the Upper Kelkit basin. In the 17th century, Evliya Çelebi also visited Tercan and described its Saltukid buildings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I eat in Tercan?

Tercan is known for 4 local dishes, above all Tercan Honey, Tandır Kebabı, Kesme Çorbası (thin-cut dough soup) and Ekşili Köfte (sour meatballs). Tercan Honey was registered as a protected designation of origin on 21 November 2025 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1792). Product group: honey. Registered by: Tercan Village Services Union.

What is Tercan famous for?

Tercan is known for Tercan Honey and Melike Mama Hatun Heritage. Its best-known sights include Mama Hatun Caravanserai and Mama Hatun Tomb.

What to buy in Tercan?

Local products and souvenirs to buy in Tercan include Tercan Honey and Tulum Cheese.

Tercan Travel Guide

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