''Dondurma'' is the Turkish name for

ice cream Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as Chocolate, cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food ...

. Outside Turkey, it typically refers specifically to mastic ice cream, which is believed to originate from the city and region of

Kahramanmaraş Kahramanmaraş (), historically Marash (; ) and Germanicea (), is a city in the Mediterranean Region, Turkey, Mediterranean region of Turkey and the administrative centre of Kahramanmaraş Province, Kahramanmaraş province. After 1973, Maraş was ...

and is known as maraş dondurma in Turkish. This is made from

cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...

salep Salep, also spelled sahlep salepi or sahlab,; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; is a flour made from the tubers of the orchid genus ''Orchis'' (including species '' Orchis mascula'' and ''Orchis militaris''). These tubers contain a nutritious, starchy polysacc ...

(the ground-up

tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure that plants use as storage organs for nutrients, derived from stems or roots. Tubers help plants perennate (survive winter or dry months), provide energy and nutrients, and are a means of asexual reproduc ...

of an

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...

), mastic (plant resin), and

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose Glucose is a sugar with the Chemical formula#Molecular formula, molecul ...

Description

Two qualities distinguish Turkish ice cream: hard texture and resistance to melting, brought about by inclusion of the thickening agents

, a flour made from the root of the

early purple orchid ''Orchis mascula'', the early-purple orchid, early spring orchis, is a species of flowering plant in the orchid family, Orchidaceae. Description ''Orchis mascula'' is a perennial herbaceous plant with stems up to high, green at the base and ...

, and mastic, a resin that imparts chewiness. The

region is known for ''Maraş dondurması'', a variety which contains distinctly more ''salep'' than usual. Tough and sticky, it is sometimes eaten with a knife and fork.

Consumption and culture

''Dondurma'' is commonly sold from both

street vendor A hawker is a vendor of merchandise that can be easily transported; the term is roughly synonymous with costermonger or peddler. In most places where the term is used, a hawker sells inexpensive goods, handicrafts, or food items. Whether stationa ...

s' carts and store fronts, where the mixture is churned regularly with long-handled paddles to keep it workable. Vendors often perform magic tricks and practical jokes, with examples including presenting the ice cream cone on a long stick or pole, and then taking away the ''dondurma'' by rotating it around, or serving it with an extra cone that comes away from the actual cone when the stick is lifted. These tricks serve the additional purpose of attracting prospective customers, as well as entertaining people waiting in line. As of 2010, the average rate of consumption in Turkey was 2.8 liters of ice cream per person per year (compared to the United States at 14.2 liters per person and world consumption leader Australia at 17.9 liters in 2010). The popularity of ''salepli dondurma'' has caused a decline of wild orchids in the region and led to a ban on exports of ''salep''. Α distinct variation of ''dondurma'' is also consumed in

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

, especially in the north of the country, where it is called "''dudurmas''" or "'' kaimaki''".

Notes

References

External links

Ice Cream of Kahramanmaraş

SBS food - Dondurma (Turkish Ice-cream)
{{Ice cream Mastic ice creams Turkish desserts Greek desserts Turkish words and phrases Turkish inventions

Description

Consumption and culture

See also

Notes

References

External links