Let me preface this blog by saying that Hawaii is my home and one of the things that make this the best State in the world is our culture and food… and our food is the best! From chicken lau lau to loco moco, sweet bread to haupia cake and shave ice to ice cakes… hmmmmmm I take that back on the ice cakes.
What is an ice cake? Take a simple small plastic cup. Put your flavored syrup and water and freeze it. That’s it! It’s sold around the island and has been around since can I remember.
I love my comfort food and I don’t change over to anything new, but recently on a location scout in Puerto Rico I went to some low income areas. While looking at a ditch for our potential car to crash into, an sweet old lady came out from her house with a bunch of familiar items I know to be as ice cakes. I guess it was her home business. Our locations manager passed a coconut one to me and I instantly thought “not gonna be as good as the one I get from the little candy shop from my home town.”
WRONG!
This was the BEST in the world! If I knew the Spanish word for “No Ka Oi” (means “the best” in Hawaiian), I would be using it to replace that definition. Here’s why:
Hawaii: Ice is hard as a lava rock
PR: Ice is flaky for easy biting
Hawaii: Flavor runs out a quarter way in
PR: Flavor last all the way to the last sweet drop
Hawaii: Syrup
PR: Real fruit
Hawaii: 50 cents to a dollar
PR: 10 cents (hey I’m Chinese… save some cash man!)
As you can see Puerto Rico wins in all counts. Now, leave me alone with my ice cake because this might be the last one I eat once this blog is read by my local Hawaiian peeps.
You’ve betrayed the State of Hawaii. I’m revoking your “local boy” status!
HA. Anderson, no one can replace the spirit of the ice cakes of Hawaii and to all the great memories of me carving it, gnawing it and giving me the true meaning of perseverance that will forever within me.
I just like the way Puerto Rico made it better!
Can I still get my kama’aina status back if I say the shave ice is the best?
king kamehameha is rolling in his grave as we speak…
So it’s as simple as freezing fruit juice?? I’ll have to try that.
I remember getting a daily dose of shaved ice at my after school Japanese-language class. The principal used to make and sell to us kids for a nickel! He was the best principal and made the best shaved ice!
love it. I’ve never heard of ice cakes (aka popsicles w/o sticks, in cups) before, but I’ve had plenty of good ol’ shaved ice. I’ve never been in love with it since it seems weird that water is a dish. but I love the fact that you can charge money for it.
here’s to awesome & delicious street food snacking.
I’ve been here(Hawaii)…10 years and I never knew they made “Limbers”…its what we call it in Puerto Rico! All the old ladies in my grandmothers neigborhood sold that stuff for like 10 cents…and the cups were huge! This was awesome…brought back good memories!
“Limbers”… interesting name for “ice cakes”. So do I just go out and ask for it by this name?
Yes! It’s how they are known in PR…my favorite is the milk “limber”…sweet condensed milk and cinnamon…YUM!
[...] Jesus, I’m losing my mind. - ICE CAKES WITH LOVE [...]
I dont think many places sell ice cakes anymore… but its fun to do in your office! just buy syrup, cups and soon you’ll be the envy of your office cube!
Hey Albert,
So cool to have you post on this site. The last time I had ice cake in Honolulu was at Rinky Dinky about 6+ years ago near Royal Kitchen… probably not there anymore. I’d have to say though… the li hing ice cakes were really good.
i love ice cakes…born&raised in Hawaii, my keiki’s are now enjoying the ice cold snack- we’ll start selling ‘em as a neighborhood snack with all sorts of treats inside: li hing seed, gummy worms and other acommodating snacks that are popular…have fun with it. we like to flip it in the cup and eat it upside down until its pau (finished)…HAPPY ICE CAKE EATING!!! =) ALOHA