When I visited Hawaii, I was blown away by the stunning beauty of the environment and loved all the local color. Hawaii is known to be a melting pot of different cultures; from the rich Native Hawaiian history, to Asian traditions, to influences straight from the American mainland, Hawaii is a tapestry of lifestyles. One of my favorite things about traveling is tasting the local cuisine.
Shave ice – not to be confused with shaved ice – is exactly how it sounds: Instead of crushed ice, like the kind used in snow cones, the ice is shaved straight from the block for a fluffy texture similar to real snow. Juices are then used to color and flavor the ice. The result is a smooth, almost creamy, cool treat that was perfect after a long day on the beach. Though most closely identified with Hawaii in the West, shave ice actually traces its origins as a popular treat in Japan. When Japanese plantation farmers came to Hawaii to work, they took shave ice with them, and the Hawaiian tradition of shave ice was born.
On the mainland, I like to think SurfBerry’s shave ice is as close to the real thing as you can get. Literally carved from a huge block made in our store, our machine creates an authentic experience that will make you believe you’re in the tropics – or, on Wrightsville Beach, which is the real paradise for this North Carolinian. Our house-made shave ice can be flavored with any blend of juice (we have over 25!). We take our Shave Ice seriously and make our flavorings out of organic cane sugar and import some of our special flavors straight from Hawaii. Your sweet dairy free creation is served in a corn based compostable cup (no Styrofoam or plastic here), a SurfBerry touch on an island tradition.
Swing by SurfBerry and treat yourself to a shave ice today. There’s a reason our
unofficial motto on Wrightsville is “aloha, y’all”!