Germencik Sour Chicken Description and Distinctive Features of the Product: During his visit to the region in 1937, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was served Germencik Sour Chicken in the Hıdırbeyli neighborhood. Impressed by the dish and the warm reception of the soldiers stationed in the region, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk awarded the Ege 2nd Army Medal to the Hıdırbeyli neighborhood. This medal and certificate are preserved at the Germencik Municipality, creating a connection between Germencik Sour Chicken and a historical event, marked by the recognition of the region with the prestigious medal. Germencik Sour Chicken is a local meat dish prepared by boiling and frying chicken, and then using unripe grape juice for flavor. Production Method: Round-seeded grapes, known locally as "yediveren," grown in the Germencik district, are harvested before ripening and tightly packed in permeable sacks. Subsequently, the sour grape juice, extracted by squeezing and separating from the pulp and seeds, is boiled. After cooling, it is stored in bottles. Ingredients (for 4-6 people): - 1 village chicken - 4 medium-sized onions - 3 cloves of garlic - 1 tea cup of olive oil - 1 cup of unripe grape juice (sour grape juice) - 1 teaspoon black pepper - 1.5 teaspoons of salt - 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes - 1 tablespoon tomato paste - 2 medium-sized tomatoes Germencik Sour Chicken is a dish cooked in three stages. In the first stage, the village chicken is boiled in a pot over a wood fire for 15 minutes. Then, in the second stage, the boiled chicken is fried in olive oil heated in a pan for about 5 minutes until all sides are browned. The browned chicken is set aside. In the third stage of the dish, tomato paste is added to the pan where the frying took place and sautéed. Chopped onions and garlic are added and cooked until they become pink and soft. Chopped tomatoes or tomato preserves, depending on the season, are added and cooked for a while. Then, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes are added. A cup of broth from the chicken's initial boiling is added to the sauce and cooked. Once the sauce is ready, the chicken, sauce, and boiling water are brought together in a pot. 1 cup of unripe grape juice (sour grape juice) is added. All the ingredients are boiled together for another 25 minutes. After the cooking stage is completed, the dish is allowed to rest for at least 2 hours for the flavors to meld, and the sourness from the grape juice to infuse into the chicken. It is then reheated and served hot.