Now that the weather is getting warmer, it is time for a Taiwanese favorite: tsua-bing. In the United States, Americans also eat a shaved-ice-treat to cool off; it is called the snow cone.
Tsua-bing and snow cones are similar because they both use ice as the main ingredient. However, both treats are prepared differently, and represent their place of origin.
The tsua-bing is served with fresh ingredients, such as seasonal fruit (mango, watermelon and strawberries) and most commonly: taro, red bean, mung beans, yams, sweetened peanuts, almond junket, and grass jelly. Syrup and condensed milk can be added, but that is up to the customer.
The chunks of ice can also be thick if they are crushed by hand or fine if they are crushed by a machine. Tsua-bing is often a group desert that is served in massive quantities on a plate and can feed two to four people depending on the size.
Snow cones get their sweetness and color from flavored syrup. Popular summertime flavors include: tootie fruity (a flavor that tastes like bubble gum), root beer, blue raspberry and grape. There is even a rainbow flavor that combines three flavors together: cherry, lemon, and apple.
Sometimes, condensed milk is added to snow cones to make them taste similar to ice cream. The condensed milk makes the already sweet food, even sweeter.
Unlike tsua-bing, snow cones are not usually served with fruit, peanuts, or beans. The way that the dessert is served is also different. Snow cones are circular in shape, like a ball and served in a paper cone instead of on a large serving dish.
So, whether you are scooping a mound of tsua-bing into your mouth or enjoying the icy sweetness of a rainbow snow cone, know that shaved ice is a favorite way to cool off for both Taiwan and the USA.