Turkey wants to regulate Germany’s beloved döner kebab street food

The scene at Kebap With Attitude in Berlin’s trendy Mitte neighborhood is typical of any street-side stand or restaurant where cooks pile the ingredients into pita bread to create the city’s beloved döner kebab. But the snack’s status could be in jeopardy if the European Commission approves a bid by Turkey to regulate what can legally take the döner kebab name. The word “döner” is derived from the Turkish verb “dönmek,” which means “to turn.” In Turkey, the dish originally was made of lamb and sold only on a plate. But in the 1970s, Turkish immigrants in Berlin opted to serve it in a pita and tweak the recipe to make it special for Berliners. In April, Turkey applied to have döner kebab protected under a status called “traditional specialty guaranteed.” It’s below the vaunted “protected designation of origin” that applies to geographic region-specific products, like Champagne from its eponymous region in France, but could still impact kebab shop owners, their individual recipes, and their customers throughout Germany. Under Turkey’s proposal, beef would be required to come from cattle that are at least 16 months old. It would be marinated with specific amounts of animal fat, yogurt or milk, onion, salt, and thyme, as well as black, red, and white peppers. The final product would be sliced off the vertical spit into pieces that are 3 to 5 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) thick. Chicken would be similarly regulated. “The kebab is part of Germany, and the diversity of its preparation methods reflects the diversity of our country—this must be preserved. [...] We are committed to ensuring that the döner kebab can remain as it is prepared and eaten here,” Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture said. It appears that vegetables, turkey, and some veal kebabs—all of which are popular in Germany—would no longer be allowed under Turkey’s application because it does not specifically mention them, causing confusion in the German food industry. “The kebab belongs to Germany. Everyone should be allowed to decide for themselves how it is prepared and eaten here. There’s no need for guidelines from Ankara,” said Cem Özdemir, Germany’s federal food and agriculture minister who also has Turkish roots. This article was provided by The Associated Press.