Fear not, you don’t have to buy a plane ticket just to recapture the taste of shave ice. You can make it right in your own home. It is a relatively easy process that requires only two ingredients: Ice and flavored syrup.

To make your own frozen delicacy at home you must remember that the ice must be shaved and not crushed like snow cones. Shave ice has a snow like consistency that holds in the flavor. Traditional crushed ice Snow Cones have large ice pieces that causes the syrups to drain to the bottom of the cup.

To achieve the best results it is best to use blocks of frozen ice. So fill up a plastic container with water and place it in your freezer. After the water is frozen take it out of the freezer, but leave the ice in the container.

The Japanese plantation workers used to use machetes to shave their ice, but it is safer and easier to carefully use a butter knife. Just run the knife back and forth across the ice block to shave off your ice and scoop the ice shavings into a bowl.

After you achieve the desired amount of ice pour your flavored syrup on top. You can order authentic Hawaiian Shave Ice flavors online or substitute Italian flavor syrups that are found in stores. Be sure not to douse the ice, but rather gently pour on a small amount of syrup until the ice is sufficiently covered with one or more flavors.

If all of this seems overwhelming, you can buy a small machine off the internet. They usually start at around $50 dollars for your basic machine. This is also a good choice if you plan in making shave ice often or even commercially for a few extra dollars.

Written by Heather Stever

A very popular Hawaiian shave ice stand

So you’re in Hawaii. Maybe you live here or you are just here for a visit. On these hot summer days it is nice to pop into a local kine shop to cool down and grind on some Hawaiian shave ice, but where do you go?

O’ahu is the most populated island and therefore has the most options for Hawaiian Shave Ice. Judging by the endless line out the door every time you pass this North Shore spot, it is safe to say that Matsumoto’s Shave Ice at 66-087 Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa is O’ahu’s most popular shave ice vendor. Their prices are reasonable and their varieties of flavors are all homemade. I guess that is why Matsumoto’s Shave Ice is famous and always worth the wait.

Maybe you are visiting Historic Haleiwa Town and you would rather spend your afternoon on a white sand beach instead of standing in a long line outside of Matsumoto’s. If that’s the case then Tropical Rush located at 62-620 Kamehameha Highway is a lesser known shop that serves delicious Hawaiian Shave Ice without the crowds. Walk right in to the air conditioned shop and head straight to the shave ice booth. There is never a long wait, but there is definitely a long list of flavors.

On the other side of the island, Honolulu is home to Dave’s Hawaiian Ice Cream Parlor. At 611 Kapahulu you can order shave ice by itself or on top of one of many unique ice cream flavors. For example, instead of plain vanilla you can choose lilikoi, ube (sweet potato), or kulolo (taro).

Do not fear if you aren’t on Oahu and you crave shave ice. The neighbor islands have their own favorite sweet spots. On Maui try Annie’s Island Shave Ice at 113 Prison Street in Lahaina. Kaua’i’s Kapa’a Shopping Center at 4-1105 Kuhio Highway is home to Hawaiian Blizzard. And of course Itsu’s Fishing Supplies, Inc. at 810 Pi’ilani Street in Hilo is a local favorite.

Try one, try them all. After all, you’re in Hawaii. The best place in the world to enjoy Hawaiian Shave Ice!

Written by Heather Stever

Happy girl about to eat Hawaiian shaved ice

The History of Hawaiian Shave Ice dates back to the sugar plantation days of old Hawaii. Thousand’s of Japanese immigrants flocked to Hawaii to work on the plantations and with them they brought a frozen treat that is now known as shave ice.

The frozen confection that they introduced to the Hawaiian Islands was not a new concept. In Japan shave ice is called Kakigori and it dates back to the Heian period running from 794 to 1185 A.D. During that time the ice was brought down from the mountains in the winter and stored in a cave called ‘Himuro’ in Japanese and means ‘Ice room’. At that time ice was considered rare and shave ice was a luxury, a treat reserved for royalty only.

The modern form of shave ice we know and love today is believed to have been invented in the port town of Yokohama, Japan in 1869. Due to its popularity, by the 1920’s shave ice was a common attraction in stores throughout Japan.

In plantation times, the delicious frozen treat was only sold on Sundays, the only day of the week immigrants had off. With the decline of Hawaiian sugar’s popularity, these immigrants moved off the plantations and opened their own family grocery stores. There they sold household goods along with shave ice which proved to be a huge commercial success and continues to be to this day.

Shave ice exists all over the world today and is known by different names such as Gola Gunda in Pakistan, Juski in India, Ice Kachang in Malasia & Singapore where it is served with red beans and other fruits, Raspa, Raspado, or Raspadillo in Mexico and Peru (Raspar means “scrape” in Spanish) and of course the Snow Cone on the mainland.

Don’t let these names confuse you, when you come to Hawaii be sure to ask the one and only Shave Ice.

Written by Heather Stever