Dodurga Kapari Turşusu
Dodurga Kapari Turşusu is a regional pickle made from the buds of the caper plant (kapari) grown in Çorum’s Dodurga district.
Caper Cultivation in Dodurga
Capers have been cultivated on Dodurga’s arid, otherwise poorly suited farmland since the 2010s, an effort led by the municipality; an aromatic-plant production facility in the district grows capers alongside coriander and cumin. According to a 2023 statement by Dodurga Municipality, even Evliya Çelebi’s 17th-century Seyahatname (Book of Travels) mentions the plant’s benefits; capers are rich in vitamin C, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium, and are widely consumed in cuisines around the world, from Europe and the Americas to India.
How the Pickle Is Made
Worldwide, capers are most commonly consumed as buds preserved in a salty or vinegar brine. In Dodurga, too, the plant’s buds are harvested and pickled using traditional methods; a detailed, verifiable source on the exact proportions and resting time has not yet been compiled.
Geographical Indication Application
Dodurga Municipality filed an application with TÜRKPATENT for a designation of origin under the name “Dodurga Kapari Turşusu” (application date 29.12.2023, per the Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism’s registry). As of when this page was prepared, the application had not yet resulted in registration with TÜRKPATENT; current status can be checked on the Geographical Indication Products of Çorum page. Local press has also referred to a separate geographical indication process for the caper plant itself, as grown in the district; this page specifically covers the pickled product.
Sources
- Çorum Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism — Geographical Indication Studies (corum.ktb.gov.tr)
- Turkish Patent and Trademark Office — Geographical Indications Portal, “Dodurga Kapari Turşusu” application record (ci.turkpatent.gov.tr)
- Heri Haber — “Dodurga Becomes an Aromatic Plant Production Center” (20.02.2019)
- Çorum Hakimiyet — “Two Dodurga Products Registered” (03.12.2023)