Shaved Ice: Chinese Baobing
Go beyond boba the next time you stop for bubble tea. Order a Baobing, Chinese shaved ice, instead. I've been on a mission this summer, sampling shaved ice from around the world. I've tried Filipino Halo-halo, Japanese Kakigori, Malaysian ABC, Thai Nam Kang Sai, Korean Bingsoo, and Chinese Baobing.
Ambrosia Cafe is my favorite bubble tea outpost in Seattle's International District, and it's also where I turn for shaved ice Chinese style. Theirs begins with a large block of ice that's cranked before your eyes to become a pile of fluffy shavings.
Ambrosia's Baobing comes with three choices of toppings, and the best combination I've had so far is made with red beans, herb jelly and a flan-like pudding, a recommendation from one of the servers behind the counter. The shaved ice is first doused with cane sugar, the toppings are added and then the whole of it is drizzled with condensed milk. Bring a healthy appetite!
--Tracy Schneider
Free Recipe on July 22, 2009 at 11:00 AM
i love shaved ice... well the only type i've tried was korean patbingsoo. but this chinese version looks really tasty. what is that round yellow object btw?
Tracy Schneider on July 22, 2009 at 01:21 PM
So glad, Free Recipe, you are a shaved ice fan too! The round yellow object is the yummy flan-like pudding I chose as one of my three toppings.
IloveShaveIce on June 07, 2010 at 12:50 AM
Hi Tracy, comparing Chinese Baobing and Hawaiian Shave ice (http://www.aldenteblog.com/2009/09/hawaiian-shave-ice.html), in your opinion which one has more fluffy and finer ice?
Tracy Schneider on June 07, 2010 at 08:42 PM
IloveShaveIce, I couldn't say which had fluffier or finer ice. I guess I should do a comparison sometime soon!