Bingsu, Kakigori & Halo-Halo: A Shaved Ice World Tour

Five countries, five kinds of snow

Shaved ice is one of those rare desserts that independently delighted people all over the world. The techniques and toppings differ, but the joy is universal.

• Korean bingsu — milk snow piled with fruit, red bean and often condensed milk
• Japanese kakigori — delicate ice under bright fruit syrups, sometimes with a splash of matcha
• Filipino halo-halo — 'mix-mix,' a wild, wonderful jumble of fruit, jellies, beans, leche flan and ube
• Taiwanese baobing / xue hua bing — ribbon-thin snowflake ice, often milk-based
• Hawaiian shave ice — fine snow, rainbow syrups and a scoop of ice cream at the bottom

What ties them together

Under every name, the idea is the same: take something as humble as ice, shave it into clouds, and dress it up with the fruits and sweets of home. That's exactly the tradition Prickly Ice is stepping into — with a cute cactus twist.

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