A frozen treat

The average temperature has been around 88°F (31°C) for the past few weeks.  I am not the most pleasant person to be around in the heat.  So, we often find ourselves getting cool treats to help cool us down.  Sometimes we get traditional treats, like we did at Mihashi.  Other times we prefer cold beverages, like milk tea or iced tea.

One popular treat is shaved ice.  It is often found at festivals and dessert cafes.  We've even enjoyed it at the park with the park moms. 

I'm not a fan of the syrups that generally go on top (or bottom if it is Tokyo style) as it is just sugar water.  One popular flavor is Calpis concentrate, a yogurt flavored drink made by lactic acid fermentation.  This is what we had on our shaved ice with the park moms.  While it isn't bad, it is a bit strange to me to eat a yogurt flavored shave ice.  Some flavors are just an acquired taste, I guess.

We purchased an ice shaver so we could enjoy these treats at home.  They are a really popular kitchen gadget, especially for families with children.  I prefer to freeze and shave fruit instead of using syrup.  Blueberries, strawberries, melon, any kind of fruit works great!

We made some wonderful bowls of shaved pineapple and ice.  It was a great cool treat on a hot day.  We look forward to all the wonderful treats we will make with this simple machine.