Gebze Holiday Bun Description and Distinctive Features of the Product: Gebze Bayram Çöreği is a bakery product produced using wheat flour, rye flour, yeast, water, sourdough, margarine, anise, salt, white powdered sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and mastic. Gebze Bayram Çöreği, which has been produced in Gebze for a long time, is based on the traditions of the settled Turkmen community (Manavlar) in the region. In contemporary times, it is also known colloquially as the "parmaklı" (finger-shaped) çörek. It is only made on the eve of religious holidays. Gebze Bayram Çöreği is purchased in large quantities, as it is not only offered to guests at home but is also taken as a gift when visiting others. One distinctive feature is the inclusion of anise. Additionally, the production method specific to the geographical region requires a skillful technique, especially to achieve its unique shape. Therefore, it is associated with a geographical boundary due to these reasons. Production Stages of Gebze Bayram Çöreği: 1. Preparation of the dough: Wheat flour, rye flour, and water are mixed in a dough mixer for 7 minutes. Ground anise, cloves, cinnamon, mastic, margarine, powdered sugar, and yeast are added to the flour and water mixture and mixed. Five minutes before the total mixing time of 15 minutes, sourdough starter and, finally, salt are added and mixed. 2. Resting the dough: After the mixing process, the first dough mixer is turned off, and the dough is left to rest at room temperature (between 22 to 24 °C), considering seasonal conditions, for a period between 20 to 45 minutes. This process, known locally as "hamur yatar" (the dough rests), is completed, and the dough is then placed in a kestart machine to prepare 270 g dough pieces. The pieces are allowed to rest for 15 minutes. 3. Shaping: The rested dough is pressed onto the cutting apparatus, and an indentation is made with the marking apparatus up to 8 cm. The two ends of the dough are pulled up to 20 cm, and the dough is shaped by turning it clockwise with the right hand to the right and the left hand to the left. A mixture of cumin seeds and sesame seeds, along with walnuts, is sprinkled on top. 4. Baking: The shaped dough is placed in trays and moved to the waiting room. After allowing the dough to rise to 1.5 times its size, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour in the summer and 1.5 hours in the winter, it is baked in a preheated oven at 280°C for 15 minutes. The weight of Gebze Bayram Çöreği is around 270 g +/- 10 g before baking and becomes 220-225 g after baking. 5. Storage: Freshly released and consumed Gebze Bayram Çöreği retains its freshness for 72 hours in lidded storage containers or suitable packaging, where it is kept away from air at room temperature. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 15 days at 3 or 4°C or for up to 6 months at -18 to -20°C.