Retired entrepreneur revives century-old corn‑flour baklava in Dernekpazarı, Turkey

After retiring in Istanbul, Hakan İpekçi returned to his hometown of Dernekpazarı in the Trabzon province and began producing a nearly hundred‑year‑old corn‑flour baklava. The traditional sweet, originally created during a local hazelnut shortage, is made by layering wheat‑flour yufka with corn‑flour halva and butter, and now includes toasted corn flour and, when available, hazelnuts.

İpekçi said, “Emekli olduktan sonra memleketim olan Dernekpazarı'na geldim. Mısır unu baklavasının hikâyesi bir asırlık bir döneme rast geliyor,” emphasizing the historical roots of the pastry. He is pursuing a geographic‑indication registration to brand the dessert as a regional specialty and plans to develop other local products such as the area’s yayla tea.

The initiative aims to preserve a forgotten culinary tradition, attract visitors, and create a new marketable brand for the Dernekpazarı district.