A Guide to Sweets for Engagements and Mevlit Gatherings

In Anatolia something sweet is offered at life's important thresholds: 'Let us eat sweet and speak sweetly.' At a promise ceremony, an engagement, a baby's birth or a mevlit, Turkish delight and sugared almonds are the best-known bearers of this wish. In this guide we have brought together quantities, colour traditions and presentation tips.

Promise ceremonies and engagements

At the promise ceremony, the tray prepared by the bride's family usually holds white sugared almonds and Turkish delight. White is considered the colour of purity and a new beginning. At engagements it is common to hand out sugared almonds to guests in tulle pouches. Five almonds per pouch is traditional; odd numbers are believed to bring luck.

Births and mevlit

In the sweets handed out to relatives and visitors after a baby's birth, colour is an elegant way of announcing the sex: pink sugared almonds for a girl, blue for a boy. At mevlit gatherings, white sugared almonds and Turkish delight are served with sherbet. Small labels with the baby's name and date of birth have become one of the most requested details in recent years.

Working out quantities

In our experience 2–3 pieces of delight per guest are enough; at gatherings with treats only and no dessert course, this can rise to 4. One piece of delight weighs about 12 grams and one sugared almond 4.5 grams. For example, for an engagement with 80 guests, 3 pieces of delight and one pouch of almonds each, you need about 3 kg of delight and 1.8 kg of sugared almonds. The treat calculator on our website does this sum and gives an approximate cost.

Which delights to choose?

• Roll delight: No icing sugar mess, sits neatly on a tray, children love it.
• Pistachio delight: The elegant choice for special days.
• Rose delight: Classic and affordable.
• Cream delight: For small, intimate gatherings, taken out of the fridge on the day.

Presentation tips

Silver-look trays covered with tulle, ribboned tulle pouches and boxes with name labels turn a treat into a keepsake. Prepare the pouches a day ahead and keep them somewhere cool. Put the delight on the tray shortly before the event; delight left out for long draws moisture.

Timing

Personalised labelled orders take three working days after approval. Before religious holidays and in the wedding season (May–September) we recommend ordering at least a week ahead.