Hadji Bey

Last updated

Hadji Bey is a Turkish delight confectionery that was originally produced in Cork and has since moved to a production site in County Kildare, Ireland with the successor to Urney Chocolates. [1] [2]

Contents

History

The original product was created by Harutun and Esther Batmazian, an Armenian trader and his wife, who arrived in Cork in 1902 after fleeing pogroms in the Ottoman Empire. They exhibited their confections at the Great Cork International Exhibition that year. [3] The business was established in Cork city where it thrived, although after WWI there was an incident with the premises being burned. It is assumed this occurred when soldiers returning from the Gallipoli offensive mistook the family for Turks.

Batmazian moved the shop from Lower Glanmire Road to McCurtain Street and set about explaining the family heritage to the local people. The sweet became a regional favourite. The business exported its confections to Harrods in London and Bloomingdale's in New York, and their confectionery was even supplied to Buckingham Palace. [4] [5] [6]

The Batmazian shop façade on McCurtain Street read: Hadji Bey et Cie, [7] [8] giving the premises an exotic, international, quasi-French atmosphere.

Today

Esther Batmazian died in the 1940s and her husband left Cork, moving to the United States. Their son Eddie Batmazian ran the business until he retired in 1970, after which it began to decline. By 2010 the product was bought and made by UHC Confectionery in Newbridge, while keeping a sales premises at the English Market in Cork. [4] [6]

Notes

  1. "Products - Hadji Bey". Cleeves.net. Archived from the original on 18 November 2019.
  2. "Hadji Bey - History". hadjibey.ie. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. The Hadji Bey brand and product is owned by L.C. Confectionary Ltd who also produce Urney Chocolates, Cleeves Slab Toffee [in Kildare]
  3. "Hadji Bey History". hadjibey.com. Archived from the original on 22 March 2005.
  4. 1 2 Phelan, Kate. "A Brief History of Hadji Bey's, Ireland's Premier Turkish Delight". Culture Trip. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  5. Digby, Marie-Claire (17 December 2011). "A sweet story from Cork". The Irish Times . Retrieved 15 January 2018.
  6. 1 2 "TG4's Hadji Bey documentary a sweet delight". Irish Independent . 24 December 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  7. "Cie" abbreviates compagnie, the French word for a Limited company.
  8. "Festive confections that are pure Cork". echolive.ie. The Echo. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2024.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Confectionery</span> Prepared foods rich in sugar and carbohydrates

Confectionery is the art of making confections, or sweet foods. Confections are items that are rich in sugar and carbohydrates although exact definitions are difficult. In general, however, confections are divided into two broad and somewhat overlapping categories: bakers' confections and sugar confections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cadbury</span> British multinational confectionery company

Cadbury, formerly Cadbury's and Cadbury Schweppes, is a British multinational confectionery company owned by Mondelez International since 2010. It is the second-largest confectionery brand in the world, after Mars. Cadbury is internationally headquartered in Greater London, and operates in more than 50 countries worldwide. It is known for its Dairy Milk chocolate, the Creme Egg and Roses selection box, and many other confectionery products. One of the best-known British brands, in 2013 The Daily Telegraph named Cadbury among Britain's most successful exports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heath bar</span> Toffee candy bar from The Hershey Company

The Heath bar is a candy bar made of toffee, almonds, and milk chocolate, first manufactured by the Heath Brothers Confectionery in 1928. The Heath bar has been manufactured and distributed by Hershey since its acquisition of the Leaf International North American confectionery operations late in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Macaroon</span> Type of cookie

A macaroon is a small cake or cookie, originally made from ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar, but now often with coconut or other nuts. They may also include jam, chocolate, or other flavorings.

<i>Wagashi</i> Traditional Japanese confectionery

Wagashi is traditional Japanese confectionery, typically made using plant-based ingredients and with an emphasis on seasonality. Wagashi generally makes use of cooking methods that pre-date Western influence in Japan. It is often served with green tea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. S. Fry & Sons</span> British chocolate brand and former confectionery manufacturer

J. S. Fry & Sons, Ltd., better known as Fry's, was a British chocolate company owned by Joseph Storrs Fry and his family. Beginning in Bristol in 1761, the business went through several changes of name and ownership, becoming J. S. Fry & Sons in 1822. In 1847, Fry's produced the first solid chocolate bar. The company also created the first filled chocolate sweet, Cream Sticks, in 1853. Fry is most famous for Fry's Chocolate Cream, the first mass-produced chocolate bar, which was launched in 1866, and Fry's Turkish Delight, launched in 1914.

<i>Konditorei</i> Business that sells pastries

A Konditorei is a business that typically offers a wide variety of pastries and typically also serves as a café. Konditoreien (plural) are found in many countries including but not limited to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Sweden, and the Czech Republic. In French-speaking countries, similar businesses are referred to as pâtisseries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liberty Orchards</span> Packaged food products company

Liberty Orchards is a packaged food products company located in Cashmere, Washington. Founded as an apple farm in 1918 by Armenian business partners Armen Tertsagian and Mark Balaban, the company moved into canning and then confectionery during the 1930s and 1940s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oatfield (confectioner)</span> Irish chocolate and confectionery manufacturer

Oatfield was a chocolate and confectionery manufacturer located in Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. The company was the oldest confectionery manufacturer in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turkish delight</span> Gelatinous candy

Turkish delight or lokum (/lɔ.kʊm/) or halgoum is a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. Premium varieties consist largely of chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts bound by the gel; traditional varieties are often flavored with rosewater, mastic gum, bergamot orange, or lemon. Other common flavors include cinnamon and mint. The confection is often packaged and eaten in small cubes dusted with icing sugar, copra, or powdered cream of tartar to prevent clinging. In the production process, soapwort may be used as an emulsifying additive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen's</span> Australian confectionery brand

Allen's, earlier A. W. Allen Limited, is an Australian brand of confectionery products produced by Nestlé. Allen's is the top brand of sugar confectionery in Australia. It is best known for Minties, a soft chewable mint-flavoured confectionery, and their varieties of 'Party Mix' lollies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cork International Exhibition</span>

The International Exhibition was a world's fair held in Cork, Ireland, in 1902, 50 years after the first world's fair held in Ireland, which also took place in Cork. At the time of the exhibition, Ireland was still part of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urney Chocolates</span> Former Irish confectionery brand

Urney Chocolates was an Irish confectionery manufacturing business founded by the Gallagher family in County Tyrone, which once operated one of the largest chocolate factories in Europe. After being sold as a going concern, ultimately to what would become Unilever, the factory closed in 1980. The brand was later operated by L.C. Confectionery Ltd., and is now handled by Hazelbrook Confectionery, based in County Kildare, Ireland.

Eileen Gallagher was an Irish businesswoman who founded Urney Chocolates with her husband Harry Gallagher. She is believed to have been the first woman to work as a commercial sales representative in Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Gallagher (businessman)</span> Irish solicitor and nationalist

HenryThomas Gallagher, known as Harry Gallagher, was an Irish solicitor, proprietor, and founder of Urney Chocolates, the quintessential confectionary company of 20th century Ireland.

Cogar is an Irish television documentary series, shown on the Irish language channel TG4. It focuses on people who have been "ignored" or are at the margins of society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redmond Gallagher</span> Irish businessman and racing driver (1914–2006)

Redmond Gallagher was an Irish businessman and racing driver. He was chairman of Urney confectionary company and a noted motorsport enthusiast.