Ice cream is one dessert that everyone loves, yet it comes in a thousand forms around the world. Would you ever be interested to know where it originated, or what the first ice cream flavor was? Well, among the oldest and most beautiful versions of frozen delight is Bastani or Persian saffron ice cream, a dessert rich in history as in flavour. Let’s explore more about the story of Bastani and its amazing story.
What Is Bastani?
Bastani, also known as bastani sonnati, or “traditional ice cream” in Persian, is a rich dessert that is a reflection of Persian culinary heritage. With its beautiful saffron color, Bastani is a smooth and fragrant dessert prepared with whole milk, egg yolks, heavy cream, sugar, rose water, pistachios, and salep, which is a natural thickener extracted from orchid tubers. This special mix gives Bastani its texture and flavor profile.
The history of ice cream dates back to 500 BCE in Persia during the Achaemenid Empire. Ancient Persians were among the first people known to experiment with preserving ice and creating frozen desserts. They collected snow from mountain peaks and stored it in yakhchals, ingenious underground chambers that served as early refrigerators.
It was mixed with saffron, fruit juices, or syrups and eaten as refreshing desserts reserved for royalty and the elite. These early innovations in ice preservation and flavor infusion helped to lay the groundwork for Bastani and later influenced frozen treats around the globe.
Development Of Bastani And Faloodeh
Around 400 BCE, the Persians perfected another frozen dessert in faloodeh made of vermicelli dessert. Often used with the dessert is the Bastani. Ice kept well inside a yakhchal with walls of an inch, its dome and clever design through the utilization of the badgir and the qanat. Incredible to think, some of the yakhchals stand even up to now and tell so much of ancient Persian genius in its design and building.
The introduction of ice cream to the Persian royal court started in the 19th century when Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar, a Persian king, tried French ice cream while on a visit to Paris. He did not bring it back to Persia, but his successor, Mozaffar al-Din Shah, introduced it to the royal palace. Still, ice cream remained a luxury for the aristocracy until the early 20th century.
Legacy Of Akbar Mashti
Akbar Mashhadi Malayeri, who is popularly known as Akbar Mashti, brought ice cream to the people in the 1920s. This visionary from a small village experimented with traditional Persian flavors and created his recipe using saffron, rose water, and cream. His product, called “Akbar Mashti Bastani,” became famous overnight and has since become a symbol of Iranian cuisine.
The world today sees Bastani more than just a dessert served over Persians; it stands for cultural pride and deliciousness. From its original roots to the modern desire, Bastani has caught the taste buds of almost everyone in the world. The next time you feel like having a scoop, take a moment to understand its Persian roots and a very interesting history that was behind this timeless treat.
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