MARAŞ ice cream

Since ancient times the people of Anatolia prevent the winter snow from melting by storing it in mountain crevices which they covered with twigs. Coming summer, they brought it up from its storage place, put it in bowls used for stewed fruit and, drizzling it with molasses, ate it. 

This sweet, which was called ‘karsambac’, is regarded as the ancestor of today’s ice cream. With the entry of sugar into everyday life, fruit juices and syrups were also made and stored for consumption in winter. And they too were poured over ice cream and eaten with gusto. 

Fresh snow with molasses is still consumed in some parts of Anatolia today. Many fruit flavored ice creams do not in fact contain cream or milk but are fruit sherbets. 

Then, there are ice creams made from yogurt. But the first thing that comes to mind at the mention of ice cream in Turkey is the ‘beaten’ ice cream of Kahramanmaras. Not easily melted and with a consistency like taffy, it is like nothing else in the world, unique to Turkey alone... 

Maras ice cream, which is hung on a butcher’s hook and cut with a knife, is believed to have been made since the 18th century. Traditionally, one could only find ice cream at shops that specialized in uniquely winter treats like pickles or the fermented hot drink ‘boza’, and whose trade in ice cream was therefore limited to summer. Times have changed and now ice cream sweetens the palates of everyone from seven to seventy all year round.

Ömer Cihat KOCA


[artigo de opinião produzido no âmbito da unidade curricular “Economia Regional” do 3º ano do curso de Economia (1º ciclo) da EEG/UMinho]