Lokum and Olive Soap Questions - Istanbul
 

Two questions:
1) I have seen recommendations to purchase lokum/Turkish Delight from Ali Muhiddin Hacı Bekir in Istanbul. Supposedly its founder was the creator of the lokum recipe. Is the lokum from this store high quality ?
2) I am also interested in trying Turkish olive soap. Is there a location in Istanbul that sells a high quality olive soap ? And, is white olive soap much different from green olive soap ?
Thanks for any help.

I didn't buy soap, but the lokum with nuts, either almonds or pistachios, is very very good.

Ali Muhiddin Haci Bekir has a much larger variety of lokum than anywhere else. And it is very good.

Another advantage of the above is that their two locations at Sirkeci and on istiklal are quite handy for tourists.

Other very good manufactureres are Divan and Koska, with my preference running to Divan although i seldom eat lokum anymore due to diabetes and the fact that it loves to stick to implants, crowns and similar mouth prosthetics.

The standard olive oil soaps are sold at all supermarkets and are usually white. Better quality, or at least more expensive ones are sold at natural food sections and at cosmetic shops.

We currently are using a green bar at home and i like it but have no idea where my wife bought it or its brand. I can only say that you should not fall for the ugly, shapeless looking ones that seem to be about to crumble. I think the more commercially produced ones will lather better and are easier to handle. It also is always good to read the ingredients, which can hopefully be legible because of the tiny print and also the language.

For all kinds of soaps and related goodies you could go to Nahil, a charity shop off Istiklal cadd. Their produce is really high quality and the generated income is spent on women's and children's education in deprived areas. All the produce is made by women getting help and learning professions at the charity's centers. The address is Bekar sokak no. 17, off Istiklal caddesi. The sidestreet is close to the French Cultural Institute.

I have found some really great Olive Oil soaps right in the Grand Bazaar. Beats having to traipse all over town. So if you go to the Grand Bazaar and take a great walk down the hill to the Spice Bazaar you can find great Lokum there too. And if you don't like the Lokum there, Haci Bekir is just a block away. Haci Bekir comes in a pretty box, but I think the lokum at the Spice Bazaar is just as good.

Thanks for all of the helpful info. Was able to find the olive soap in Istanbul, and also picked up an olive+lemon bar in the process. Am hoping this is miracle soap, considering the energy it took to obtain it (carpet salesmen every few steps). In any case, soap or no soap, Istanbul is definitely a fun place to visit.