Shave ice is an ice-based dessert made by shaving a block of ice and flavoring it with syrup and other sweet ingredients.
Some example flavors include
pineapple🍍,
guava, coconut 🥥,
lilikoi (passion fruit),
watermelon 🍉,
banana 🍌, or
mango 🥭.
Common toppings may include sweetened condensed milk or li-hing mui
powder. You can even get ice cream or mochi in your shave ice!
Why do people in Hawaii call it "shave ice"? According to an article from Hawaiian Airlines, the term dates back to Hawaii's storied plantation past in the mid-1800s. Japanese immigrants, who came to Hawaii to work in the sugar and pineapple fields, introduced the concept of kakigori, meaning shaved ice. In Pidgin vernacular, the refreshing treat became known as shave ice, not shaved ice.
Where can you get this delicious treat? Popular shave ice spots on the island of Oahu include Waiola, Matsumoto's, and Uncle Clay's.