DO you want to see the snow from which the goat's milk ice cream you are now eating is made?" asked Abdul (not his real name), the Afghan interpreter who accompanied TEMPO.

"Yes, where is it?"

"Salang Pass, a place where snow is perpetual, about half-way to Mazar-e-Sharif," Abdul replied.

But is it true they make ice cream out of the mountain snow? Before TEMPO could ask the question, Abdul quickly added that go