Why Dondurma is Turkey’s Best-Kept Ice Cream Secret?

When you think of ice cream, you could picture a cone or a bowl maybe with a basic scoop. But in Turkey, especially in Istanbul, there is a frozen delicacy that surprises expectations: dondurma. Celebrated for its unusual texture and eating experience, this Turkish ice cream is sure to tantalize your taste receptors in a way you never would have thought possible.

What distinguishes Dondurma?
Dondurma is a treat that calls for a knife and fork unlike traditional ice creams, which are sometimes eaten with a cone or spoon. Originating from the southern region of Kahramanmaraş, or Maraş, dondurma is well-known for its stretchy and thick consistency. It distinguishes other frozen sweets not only in taste but also in experience of eating it.

Dondurma’s thick, chewy texture results from its main ingredients: beet sugar, salep (a flour derived from orchid bulbs), and milk—often a combination of goat’s, sheep’s, and cow’s milk. Especially the salep is quite important. This component gives the ice cream its unique flexibility. Though it is quite smooth and creamy, you will find that it tastes more substantial than ordinary ice cream.

The Tradition Behind Dondurma
Making dondurma has been a craft handed down through the years. Learning his art from Osman Kanbur, the originator of Mado, Turkey’s most well-known dondurma brand, Mehmet Vanlı has been creating dondurma for fifty years at his shop, Hacıhaliloğlu, in Istanbul’s Bayrampaşa district. Named from a combination of “Maraş” and “dondurma,” Mado today counts more than 300 stores all throughout Turkey.

Traditionally, dondurma is prepared using milk from goats grazing in Mount Ahır’s high altitude Taurus Mountains. The particular vegetation of this area—thyme and hyacinth—adds a distinct taste to the milk. Found in this area, the salep orchid species Dactylorhiza romana is high in glucomannan, a dietary fiber giving dondurma its stretchiness.

Effects of Natural Events
Two catastrophic earthquakes that devastated the Maraş region in February 2023 caused major damage and fatalities. Still, Maraş dondurma makers showed resiliency in face of disaster. They kept making, even rising their output. Maraş generated 100,000 tons of dondurma in 2022; by 2023 this figure increased to 120,000 tons. From $2.5 million to $3 million the export value likewise increased.

Head of a local restauranteurs association, Erdal Kanbur underlined that dondurma’s high glucomannan content helped it to be carried far without losing its quality. To preserve the quality and taste of the ice cream throughout export, the nearby patisseries have made investments in their own brands and internationally known certifications.

A Delightful Istanbul Experience
Although dondurma is available anywhere you visit Istanbul, the real experience is best appreciated at neighborhood stores like Vanlı’s. Visit the neon-lit Hacıhaliloğlu shopfront on a beautiful summer evening. Here you will find big cylindrical slabs of dondurma cut into thick slices presented with a sprinkling of pistachio dust.

Dondurma’s special qualities imply it doesn’t melt quickly even with heat. This makes it ideal for leisurely knife and fork dining. Every mouthful of the creamy smoothness and subdued sweetness is a cool delight.

The ascent of Dondurma outside Turkey
Maraş dondurma is evolving from a local delicacy to more than just that as it gets known. Turkey is already on the world map for premium ice cream because of Mado’s international development and the efforts of smaller companies exporting their ice cream. For foodies everywhere, this is a fascinating advancement.

Steering Clear of Travel Trap Traps
You could come across several ice cream stores on Istiklal Avenue providing theatrical displays with dondurma while in Istanbul. Often targeted to visitors, these events including exorbitant costs and deceit are based on Skip these tourist traps and visit local businesses like Vanlı’s shop for the true experience instead.

Conclusion
Dondurma is a monument to Turkish gastronomic skill and legacy, not only an ice cream. Dondurma presents a different experience that transcends simple taste from its unusual texture and preparation to its part in Turkish culture. You’re not only savoring a dessert as you investigate this interesting delight; you’re experiencing a bit of Turkey’s rich gastronomic history. Thus, the next time you visit Istanbul, make sure to enjoy dondurma and taste the flavors that have been refined over decades.