Shaved ice

History

Regions

Americas

North America and the Caribbean

• In Canada and most of the contiguous United States, shaved ice, commonly known as "Snow cones" or "Snowballs", consist of crushed or shaved ice topped with sweet fruit flavored syrup. Within the United States, several regional variations are prominent: New Orleans snowballs include a topping of fruit flavored syrup or a fruit-cream syrup mixture, and Baltimore snowballs frequently include a fruit flavored syrup and are then topped additionally with marshmallow cream. A Sno-ball is the New Orleans variant. It can be served with syrup, ice cream, condensed milk, and a variety of toppings.
• * In the United States Virgin Islands a similar desert is called "fraco" -- sometimes spelled "fraico".

• In Cuba, as well as in many Cuban neighborhoods in the United States, shaved ice is known as granizados, after the Spanish word granizo for hailstones. In Miami, granizados are often sold in conjunction with other frozen confections in ice cream trucks and stands throughout the city. A classic Cuban flavoring for granizados is anise, made from extracts of the star anise spice.
• In the Dominican Republic and many Dominican neighborhoods, snow cones are called frío frío, with frío being the Spanish word for "cold", or alternately called Yun Yun.
• In Hawaii, they are known as "Hawaiian shave ice" or just "shave ice", and often resemble East Asian versions of shaved ice, with condensed milk, adzuki beans or mochi balls often added as toppings, while a scoop of vanilla ice cream is common at the bottom of the cone.
• In Mexico, as well as in some Spanish-speaking communities of the Southwestern United States, Texas, and California, a finely shaved and syruped ice is called a raspa, or raspado. Raspados come in a wide range of fruit flavors and classic Mexican flavors, including leche, picosito, chamoy, cucumber, guanabana, guava, pistachio, and tamarind.
• In most of Puerto Rico and many Puerto Rican neighborhoods, they are named piragua, because they are made in pyramid shapes and agua means water in Spanish. In western Puerto Rico towns such as Mayagüez, they are called raspao. Most Puerto Rican snow cone vendors use street snow cone carts instead of fixed stands or kiosks. During the summer months in Puerto Rican neighborhoods, especially in New York City and Philadelphia, "piragua" carts are often found on the streets and attract many customers.

  US Brands

• Icee: brand-name product
• Slurpee: brand name
• Slush Puppie: brand name

  Central and South America

• In Bolivia, they are known as shikashika, where the ice is collected from the nearby mountains.
• Mermelada con hielo is a local curiosity widely consumed in Rancagua, central Chile.
• In Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, they are called Raspados or Raspaos and are also topped with condensed milk and fruit flavors.
• In Costa Rica, they are called granizados or copos ; in the Puntarenas Province when they have ice cream on the top, they are called "churchills".
• In Ecuador, there are three versions. The ones sold at street carts and having ice which has been shaved manually with a handheld tool resembling a wood hand plane are called raspados. The ones sold at street carts, having ice that has been frappéd with a manually actioned rotary machine and are topped with condensed milk are called granizados. The granizados sold at stores are usually not topped and their ice is finely frappéd by an electrical machine and, for that reason, they will have more liquid even when just prepared. Raspados and granizados sold at streets are much cheaper than granizados sold at stores.
• In El Salvador and other countries of the region, they are known as minutas.
• In Guatemala and Belize, they are called granizada and are topped with condensed milk and fruit.
• In Guyana, they are known as "Crush Ice" or "Snow Cone" and are topped with condensed milk.
• In Peru, the confection is known as raspadilla and is often confused with. It is made with thick ground ice and topped with juices of different flavors that can be combined. The most common flavors are pineapple and strawberry, but it can also be served with berry juice, passion fruit juice, and purple corn juice. In some cases, though uncommon, it can be topped with condensed milk or yogurt. It is very popular on the beaches during summertime, and is also sold in the towns and cities from carts scattered throughout streets and avenues. Some vendors grind the ice from a block with a device or spoon with a blade like a razor at one end, others have the ice already ground and stored in a cooler. Raspadilla is prepared in a cup in front of the customer who then selects the flavor of juice to pour on top.
• In Brazil, they are known as raspa-raspa or raspadinha and in some parts of the country as Gelo ralado com groselha. Vendors grind the ice from a block with a device or spoon with a blade like a razor at one end. Common flavors, which can be combined, include strawberry, coconut, bubblegum, grape, mint, passion fruit and Tutti frutti.

  Asia

East Asia

• According to The Pillow Book, in the 11th century, Japan had a dessert, shaved ice with kudzu juice. In Japan, the ice is known as kakigōri and topped with fruit flavoured or plain syrup. Some shops provide colorful varieties by using two or more different syrups. To sweeten Kakigōri, condensed milk is often poured on top of it. During the hot summer months, kakigōri is sold virtually everywhere in Japan. Some coffee shops serve it with ice cream, dango and red bean paste. Convenience stores may also sell it already flavored and packaged similar to ice cream.
• According to History of Song, in the 11th century, China had a dessert, 蜜沙氷, that is ice with red bean paste with honey. It is not certain that 蜜沙氷 is a shaved ice but in the 11th century, Japan had a shaved ice dessert, so there is a possibility that 蜜沙氷 is a shaved ice.
• In Korea, the shaved ices are known as bingsu. The variety topped with sweetened red beans is called pat-bingsu, with pat meaning "red bean". Toppings may also include fresh fruits and soybean powder. The earliest forms of bingsu existed during the Joseon dynasty. The government records show that the officials shared the crushed ices topped with various fruits, which were distributed from the ancient Korean ice storage called seokbinggo. Many other varieties can be found throughout the country. One variety that has been very popular in Korea since 2014 is snow flower bingsu. It is made of extremely finely-shaved ice where the texture resembles real snow flakes. Also, rather than using plain ice, milk is added to the ice so that the shaved ice has milky flavor.
• In Taiwanese cuisine it is known as Tshuah-ping or "Bàobīng". There are many varieties in Taiwan. Some of them are topped with canned fruits, fruits syrup and condensed milk. Other variations can be found throughout CHION. Originating from China in the 7th century, Baobing is one of the oldest variants of shaved ice treats. It is typically served in large portions with a variety of toppings. In Taiwan the dish also has a variation called xuehua bing, in which the ice is not made out of water but milk.

  Southeast Asia

• In Cambodia, shaved ice known as Teuk Kork Chus, is usually served during the hot summer days and during Cambodian New Years. Tuk translate to water, Kak translates to ice, and Chhous translates to shaved. This dessert is served with a variety of fillings such as jelly, basil seeds, jackfruit, taro, red beans, and more. After the filling the shaved iced is then filled to the top, then customers can choose a choice of different colored syrups usually in green, red, or blue; and condensed milk will lastly layer the top of the shaved ice.
• In Malaysia and Singapore, it is known as ais kacang, which consists of shaved ice topped with sweetened syrup of various colours and flavours, condensed and evaporated milk, and sometimes also durian pulp or vanilla ice cream. Beneath the ice sweetened red beans, canned fruit, attap seeds and grass jelly are usually added. Electric ice shavers are often used, though some vendors may use a hand blade to shave the ice in order to produce a rough texture. A variation of this would be Cendol which is shaved ice with sweet green-coloured glutinous rice noodles drizzled with palm sugar; it is usually accompanied with kidney beans and canned sweetcorn.
• In Indonesia, it is known as es campur, which is similar to the Malaysian/Singaporean ais kacang.
• In the Philippines, it is known as halo halo which consists of shaved ice topped with sweetened beans and fruits, creme caramel, nata de coco and ice cream. Halo-halo is believed to be an indigenized version of the Japanese kakigori class of desserts, originating from pre-war Japanese migrants into the islands. The earliest versions were composed only of cooked red beans or mung beans in crushed ice with sugar and milk, a dessert known locally as "mongo-ya". Over the years, more native ingredients were added, resulting in the development of the modern halo-halo. Some authors specifically attribute it to the 1920s or 1930s Japanese migrants in the Quinta Market of Quiapo, Manila, due to its proximity to the now defunct Insular Ice Plant, which was the source of the city's ice supply. "Halo-halò" literally means "mix-mix" in Tagalog. Halo-halo nowadays can have various toppings and can be differentiated by various regions in the Philippines. It is also found in mais con yelo. Also in the Philippines Skrumble can be found, where shaved ice is flavored and topped with milk and chocolate syrup.
• In Thailand, this kind of cold dessert is popularly known as namkhaeng sai. Namkhaeng sai is served with a variety of toppings including red beans, toddy palm seeds, sticky rice, jellies, and preserved fruits, most often coconut. Then red syrup and condensed milk is liberally poured on top of the shaved ice. In other Thai desserts, the mixings are at the bottom and shaved ice is scooped on top. There are between 20 and 30 varieties of mixings that can be eaten. Among them are young coconut that has been soaked in coconut milk, black sticky rice, chestnuts, sweetened taro, red beans, sarim and many more.

  South Asia

• In India, known as gola or chuski; flavored with sugar syrups, fruit flavors, and several other regional flavors like rose, khus, or kala-khatta. It is often topped with condensed milk. A literal translation of "ball of ice" is used in many parts of India: Barfacha Gola in Marathi, Barf ka Gola in Hindi, and Barf no Golo in Gujarati.
• In Pakistan, it is often referred to as gola ganda, and it is flavored with multiple sugar syrups. fruits, condensed milk, ice cream, nuts, rosewater, and many other toppings. It is a very popular and well known street food.

  Middle East

• In Turkey, bici bici is the most known summer dessert. It is very light. Generally, ices are brought from the Toros Mountains to the city center. Bici bici contains starch, home-made syrup, and optionally banana.

  Europe

• In Germany, it is known as "Shave Ice" and has become increasingly popular, especially in Berlin, in recent years.
• In Italy, a variation is called grattachecca in Rome, or Granita in Sicily.
• In France, this dessert is called .
• In Spain, they are called granizado and are served as a drink with lemon juice.
• In Britain, the term snowball is sometimes used, however it refers to a different treat. The slush is similar, though more for drinking than eating, and both are common in the UK. They are often served in the same places as ice creams.

  Drinks

• Raspado – Mexican shaved ice drink
• Sâm bổ lượng, South Chinese, and Vietnamese shaved ice drink/soup with jellies and fruits
• Cendol, South East Asian drink usually containing shaved ice