Mainlanders call them snow cones, but locals in Hawaii call it shave ice (not shaved ice).
In Hawaii, shave ice is sold in cone-shape cups. Just as everyone has a favorite store, there are favorite flavors too. Of course, if you can not decide on just one, go with the ever-popular rainbow shave ice.
Usually you can choose up to three flavors. For an ultimate shave ice, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Azuki Beans (sweet red beans) in the bottom of the cone to create a delicious treat.
What are Azuki beans – A sweet paste made from the East Asian-grown red azuki beans. The beans are first boiled then mashed into a paste and sweetened. Hawaii shave ice stands use a version of the paste that keeps a good portion of the softened beans intact rather than completely mashed. As with ice cream, the paste is scooped into the center of the shave ice cone as ice is being added for an extra kick of sweetness midway through the treat. In a shave ice bowl, azuki bean paste is more often ladled over the top of a finished ice dome after the syrup has been poured.
Japanese plantation workers who migrated to Hawaii around 1920 to 1930 to work in the sugar and pineapple fields bought shave ice to Hawaii. The workers enjoyed it as a refreshing break in the hot, tropical climate. In those days it was only sold on Sundays, which happened to be the only day off the plantation workers received. They would use their machetes to shave flakes of ice from a large block of ice into cups, then pour different fruit juices over the top.
In the 1950s, children would order their shave ice by color only, knowing what flavor each color represents. A mix of colors was called kalakoa, Hawaiian for “calico.”
When Japanese immigrants moved off the plantations and opened their own family-run grocery stores, shave ice went commercial and it was, and still is, hugely popular. Today, these ice treats are also popular in Japan, which is the source of most shave ice machines.
An authentic shave ice starts with a block of ice that is spun across a razor-sharp blade (which shaves the ice creating a soft snow-like texture. Then it is packed into a paper cone, and flavored syrup is poured over the ice.
Meaning shaved ice, kakigori grew in popularly from the seventh and ninth centuries A.D. To cool off, Japanese immigrants in Hawaii used their tools to shave flakes off large blocks of ice, and then coated it with sugar or fruit juice. In Pidgin vernacular, the refreshing treat became known as shave ice—not shaved ice.
The general consensus of the debate was that it should be called “shave ice,” because that is the original Hawaiian term, even though it sounds better and is grammatically correct as “shaved ice.”
BYU graduate Owen Hullinger sparked a grammar and culture debate when he posted on Facebook with his opinion of what it should be called. The post received over 100 likes and 30 comments.
“Anything with a ‘d’ is not an authentic spelling,” said Mark Gilliland, chief operating officer of the franchise. “I have no idea why, that’s just how it is in Hawaii so that’s the way it should be spelled.”
“We’re Taiwanese style,” owner Brittini Gehring said. “So we went with the ‘d’ to differentiate from Hawaii. We didn’t want to steal the term.”
“We want our customers to have an authentic Hawaiian experience, to get the taste and experience of a mini vacation in Hawaii,” Gilliland said. “That includes the spelling.”
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Why this is my favorite shave ice in Hawai’i!
FAQ
Why do Hawaiians call it shave ice?
What is special about Hawaiian shaved ice?
Who brought shaved ice to Hawaii?
How did Hawaiians shave ice?
To cool off, Japanese immigrants in Hawaii used their tools to shave flakes off large blocks of ice, and then coated it with sugar or fruit juice. In Pidgin vernacular, the refreshing treat became known as shave ice—not shaved ice. (On Hawaii Island, it’s also called ice shave.) Above: Half the fun is in the toppings!
What makes Hawaiian shave ice different?
What makes Hawaiian shave ice so different from the typical snow cones of our childhoods is the way that it’s produced: The texture is fluffy—not crunchy—made from ice that’s been very finely shaved instead of crushed. This unique texture allows for syrup flavors to be more deeply absorbed, rather than sitting on the top or sinking to the bottom.
Is Hawaii shave ice good?
Although shave ice is a straightforward treat, it’s also one of the most versatile. A look at any Hawaii shave ice menu demonstrates that while the standard ice and syrup combination is refreshing, shave ice with the extra goodies is even better. Like shave ice itself, one of the first supplements also came from Japan.
When did shave ice become popular in Hawaii?
Some stores that opened in the early 1900s to serve the plantation workers offered shave ice, and the treat became a staple in Hawaii by the mid-1900s. What’s the difference between Hawaiian shave ice and snow cones found on the mainland?