Hawaiian Shave Ice

I agreed with the rest of my traveling companions that we did indeed need to try Hawaiian shaved ice while we were in Maui for a wedding, but I have to say that I was not enthusiastic about it. I saw it more as a chore, an obligation rather than a cultural exploration. I was 100% wrong in every possible way. The first is that I wasn’t approaching it with an open mind. That can often be said of me, even as a young woman, and nothing about that has much improved with age. So good to be reminded of that and work to do better. The other is that this is an astoundingly delicious treat. Unlike snow cones, which I am not fond of, shave ice is made with finely shaved, not crushed, ice. This results in a powdery, fine consistency, like freshly fallen snow. It is more like kakigori, and the flavored syrup toppings, while looking garish, are delicious and fruity. The addition of a soft serve ice cream hidden in the center, or fresh fruit. I recently had kakigori in a fancy restaurant in Barcelona, with fresh strawberries and a crème anglaise and was reminded that while in Hawaii it is a fast food, it can be dressed up as a very elegant upscale dessert.