Booza

Booza is a type of ice cream that originated in the Levant and the Middle East. Booza is thickened with salep, an orchid root thickener, and mastic gum, a resin obtained from mastic trees, in addition to the standard ingredients of milk, cream, and various flavoring additions.

The mixture is then pounded with wooden mallets until it achieves its distinct, stretchy consistency. Booza produces flavor-packed ice cream with an amazingly dense and creamy texture because no eggs or air are added. The most traditional flavor of booza is kashta or qashta, which is a type of clotted cream often flavored with orange blossom and rose water, but other common flavorings include fruit, chocolate, and nuts.

Booza, often referred to as one of the oldest ice cream flavors, has recently gained popularity outside of its home country, primarily in the United States. Similar ice cream flavors can also be found in Turkey (dondurma) and Greece (kaimaki).