A popular treat in Taiwan is Bao Bing, or shaved ice. Shaved ice stands/shops pop up in many urban and rural areas throughout the country.
Shaved ice stands are great places for locals to hang out with friends – in fact, I uttered my first Mandarin sentence at a shaved ice stand in the city of Sanxia, as my friend Rachel stood there coaching me the whole time.
We sat at a little table and I dug into a delicious heaping plate of ice, chocolate, and sliced bananas as a giant cockroach gazed up at us longingly from a nearby sewer vent (not all shaved ice places have such unwelcome visitors).
How is Bao Bing made?
A heap of ice shavings, crushed into fine pieces by hand or machine, are piled onto a plate. A variety of toppings are then dumped on top – the options are endless. Common toppings include syrup, strawberries, bananas, mangoes, watermelon, peanuts, taro, jellies, and beans of various kinds (shaved ice with red beans was not a favorite of mine).
Instead of a cherry on top, the desert is finished off with condensed milk or cane syrup water. Enjoy!
Looking for a great place to try Taiwanese-style shaved ice in the United States?
Check out The Shaved Ice Shop.