Çorum Simit (Çorum Bagel)
Çorum simidi is a thin, ring-shaped simit with a crispy crust glazed with molasses and sesame, emerging from the city’s bakeries from the first hours of the morning. An inseparable part of tea time and the breakfast table in Çorum, it joined the province’s 31 registered products with its geographical indication in March 2026.
Geographical Indication
The application for the simit’s geographical indication was filed by Çorum Municipality; in March 2026 it was registered at the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office as a mark of origin (İhlas News Agency). With the registration, Çorum’s count of geographically indicated products rose to 31. Listed in the official register of the Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, the simit now shares the same protection family as leblebi, İskilip dolması and kuru mantı. For the broader framework, see our geographical indication products page.
How Is It Made?
Çorum simidi has a thinner ring and a distinctly crisp texture compared to the classic simit. The essential technique as told by the masters:
- Knead a medium-firm dough of flour, salt, water and yeast; let it rest.
- Roll the dough into thin ropes and twist them into rings.
- Dip the rings into a boiling molasses-water mixture — this is what gives the simit its shine and colour.
- Coat generously in sesame and bake in a stone oven until golden; the crisp crust belongs to the moment it leaves the oven.
A hot simit from the morning bakery belongs to the classic Çorum trio with white cheese, tea and tandır bread.