20 March 2010

Bakdash - Damascus - Best Ice Cream in the World?

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125 years old - and always full to bursting


It is famous for its pistachio-covered Booza, a pounded ice cream with an elastic texture made of mastic and sahlab. It is famous around the Arab World and has become a popular touristic attraction.


You can see them making the ice cream right in front of you - a bunch of burly men pounding away with big pestles - from the rate of sale I reckon the average Booza life is about 15 minutes from making to consumption.


The shop - and there is only one - is a good place to relocate when you get lost in old Damascus.  If you are lucky you might meet visiting presidents, kings and UN cultural ambassadors...

That is Brad and Angelina staying at my hotel (October 2009)



The owner was interviewed on BBC world - no plans to expand - no wish to lose direct control over a business and product formula that has lasted 125 years, including the fall of the Ottoman Empire, WW1, The French protectorate and any number of tricky situations following.

1 comment:

Matchman, YM Tan said...

Hopefully everything is still fine in this shop, but I think it's impossible for me to visit there without being crazy.