Traditional Turkish ice cream is chewy, thick and has an elastic texture. This result stems from two of the main ingredients that are a thickening agent called salep and a resin called mastic.
It also has a marvellous resistance to melting and on hot summer days, it is consumed slowly without a fear of it dribbling down the cone.
Such is the consistency; do not be surprised to see a Turk eating his ice cream with a knife and fork. The region of Kahramanmaraş is often referred to as the capital of ice cream in Turkey. Also known as Maraş, Turks say the best icecream is “Maraş dondurma”.
Particularly in Istanbul, traditional Maraş ice cream is sold from street vendors carts. The salesmen wear regional dress costumes from the Kahramanmaraş area and depending on their mood, it may be a while before you can sample the chewy and tasty ice cream.