Safranbolu is located in the region of Western Black Sea, which was previously connected to Zonguldak but was connected to Karabük, which gained the status of a province in 1994, was included in the UNESCO world heritage list and was protected in 1995 with the slogan of the capital of protection. It is also an important center with its food culture.

The saffron plant, which is grown in a limited area in our country and can dye a thousand times its own weight and is used in cuisine and medicine in many cultures, is also grown in Safranbolu and a cultural festival with this name is organized in the district every year. In this festival, zerde is made in cauldrons and distributed, talks are held about the economic contribution of saffron to the district and its use in medicinal purposes, and cooking competitions made with saffron are held. Although saffron is used in many places in the district such as Turkish delight, cologne and coffee, its most deep-rooted tradition in the district is the zerde dessert prepared on special occasions. As it is known, human life consists of stages such as birth, marriage and death. These periods are called transition periods in folk culture. A culinary culture is also formed around these periods.

Zerde, which is the subject of the study, is a starchy dessert blended with saffron that is made in Safranbolu on joyful occasions such as weddings and holidays. In the study, first of all, the saffron plant will be mentioned, then the use of the saffron plant in culinary culture will be touched upon, and in particular, the rituals of zerde dessert in Safranbolu, the main ingredient of which is saffron, will be examined.

The study is a review article. The aim of this study is to record the gastronomic identity of Safranbolu, which is protected by UNESCO, not only with its houses and Turkish delight, but also the rituals that develop around this identity.