As summer winds down life is about stretching out the last days of summer vacation and finding fun new ways to keep cool. Friends and neighbors come and go to summer houses, to weekend getaways, and weeklong trips to locations near and far. Hosting a little Tiki party is a great way to keep the summer fun vibe going once everyone returns home. When I think Tiki, I usually think cocktails, but another great way to keep cool that works for the whole family is with some shave ice. Unlike a snow cone, shave ice is a different texture, but also a proper shave ice is more like a layered parfait of deliciousness (halo-halo) rather than a simple ball of ice topped with syrup.
Here are some fun picks for your décor and table setting as well as a recipe for making your own fresh syrups to use in your authentic shave ice.
Torched Pineapple Mint Simple Syrup
You can’t have Tiki without fire, so to make this version of a pineapple simple syrup, start by grilling some pineapple.
- 1 pineapple, peeled cored and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 bunch of mint leaves, divided
- 1 1/2 cup of water
- vegetable oil (like canola oil) for the grill
- Preheat grill to high. Clean grill grates and grease grates with a little oil. I like to use a paper towel dipped in oil and some tongs.
- Place the pineapple slices on a high heat grill and grill until pineapple caramelizes and grill marks appear and then flip to do the same on the other side.
- Allow the pineapple to cool slightly and then dice into pinky fingernail sized cubes.
- Place pineapple, sugar and 8-10 mint leaves into a pot with a lid.
- Cook covered on low until the pineapple juices start to bubble.
- Stir and cook until sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat amd let stand overnight.
- Strain. Add 6-8 finely minced fresh mint leaves to the strained syrup and chill until party time.
The Perfect Halo-Halo (mix mix) Shave Ice Buffet
- Make sure you have a proper ice shaver. The first layer of your shave ice will be shaved ice.
- Then you need a few ice cream choices. I think I want to try purple sweet potato ice cream for our party.
- There used to be a chocolate dipper store in the mall that sold fresh pineapple dipped in chocolate. At first, I thought it would be a weird combination, but I quickly learned that it was delicious. So to go with the pineapple mint syrup I’d have some shaved chocolate, chocolate pearls or chocolate chips as a topping.
- A berry cream based syrups, use frozen raspberries or strawberries. Mix one bag of frozen berries with 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of water and prepare as with the pineapple syrup. Leave some of the syrup as is, and to make a cream based syrup, add in some cream, condensed milk or coconut milk to taste.
- Any other fun toppings you like: fresh fruit, mocha bits, boba (the pearl Tapioca that you can find at places like HMart), cookie crumbs, candy, and classic azuki beans.
Leah's Life: Pearls and Oysters 