Toprak Doğal Walnut Köme (Cevizli Sucuk / Churchkhela) Artvin 200g

What Is Köme — and Why Does It Look Like a Sausage?

Köme (also written kome or cevizli sucuk) is a centuries-old Anatolian confection that looks like a dark, glossy sausage — but contains no meat whatsoever. It is a sweet. Whole walnut pieces are threaded by hand onto a string, then dipped into a warm, slowly thickened mixture of mulberry molasses, wheat flour, milk, honey and water. Once dried, the result is a chewy, fudge-like shell around a crunchy walnut core. The same basic tradition appears in Georgia as churchkhela, in Armenia, and across the Caucasus and eastern Anatolia — each region putting its own fruit and nut signature on it.

In Artvin, a city tucked into the northeastern corner of Türkiye along the Çoruh Valley near the Georgian border, the local version is called köme. Wild mulberries from the valley's riverbanks provide the molasses. The thickened coating mixture — called herle locally — is cooked slowly in copper cauldrons. Walnuts grown in the same valley are hand-strung, dipped, and hung to dry in cool mountain air.

Tek Çekim — Single Dip

This particular köme is tek çekim: each walnut string passes through the herle just once. The result is a thin, almost translucent shell rather than the thick rind of a multi-dip version. That thinner layer means the walnut is the dominant flavor — rich, slightly bitter, nutty — with the sweet molasses-and-honey coating as a complement rather than the main event. Walnut content in this format is at least 60% of the finished weight.

About the Artvin Geographical Indication

Artvin's köme carries a Turkish geographical indication, recognizing that the specific flavor and texture of the product depend on the climate, the local mulberry varieties, and the traditional craft of the Çoruh region. Toprak Doğal sources this köme directly from producers in the Artvin / Black Sea region, with no preservatives, no colorings, and no artificial additives.

Taste and Texture

Chewy outside, crunchy inside. The herle coating is mildly sweet, with a faint earthiness from the mulberry molasses. The walnuts provide a firm bite and a slightly bitter richness. It is less sweet than baklava, less sticky than Turkish delight — closer in character to a dense, nut-forward energy bar made entirely from whole ingredients.

How to Serve

Slice crosswise into rounds to reveal the walnut cross-section — the traditional way to serve and share. Goes well with Turkish tea, strong coffee, or aged cheese. Can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place for several weeks.

Allergen Information

Contains: walnuts (tree nut), wheat (gluten), milk (lactose). Produced in a facility that handles these ingredients. Not suitable for people with tree nut, gluten, or dairy allergies.

Net weight: 200 g. Brand: Toprak Doğal. Origin: Artvin, Türkiye.