HAWAII
Hawaiian shave ice has a soft, almost slushy consistency, thanks to superfine ice flakes that readily absorb the syrup poured overtop. Shave ice came to Hawaii with Japanese sugar plantation workers who migrated there in the 1920s and 30s, and quickly became an island favorite (in Japan the dessert is called kakigori). Tropical fruit flavors like mango, pineapple and passion fruit are common, and most stores, like Oahu’s Matsumoto Shave Ice offer add-ons like vanilla ice cream and chewy azuki beans that are boiled with sugar syrup and served as a hidden layer under the ice.