Episode 2: In which they eat ice cream with a knife and fork

Location: Kahmaranmaraş

Date: 24.05.06

 

Our car was supposed to be a 2000 model something, but a reliable car at the least.  What we got was a 1997 Mermet (I think?).  Apparently in Turkey, a 1997 car looks and runs like a 1984 Mitsubishi Sigma.  LPG/petrol hybrid, boxy exterior, retro interior, tape player, engine with absolutely no guts.

 

After we finally got on the road with a full tank of LPG, we made out meandering way eastwards.  We had been told to stop and drink the water from the stream at Tekir Dagi, but we couldn't find anywhere near the water to stop.  The mountain scenery was quite beautiful enough to make up for it though.

Some helpful policemen (who seemed to only have pulled us over for a chat), recommended the best place in Kahmaranmaraş for ice cream, and I'm still not entirely sure we found it.

Nevertheless, we drove through the rather industrial town and found a huge ice cream parlour on the outskirts.  The sun was blazing by then, as if we needed more of an excuse for an ice cream stop. 

Kahmaranmaraş is famous throughout Turkey for its sticky, chewy, guaranteed--not-to-melt-for-eight-hours ice cream.  Past publicity stunts include hanging it and carving the ice cream like a doner kebab and using it as a tow rope to move a car (if you can believe it?!).  It can be served by the cone and in a rainbow of flavours, but traditionally comes in a pistachio nut encrusted slab of vanilla, on a plate, with a knife and fork.  I don't think I could have left it for eight hours to test their boast.  The ice cream was deliciously creamy, and sticky enough to lift my plate along with it when I speared a forkful. 

Would I recommend it to others going to central Turkey?  Of course!