This New Jersey Boardwalk Destination Has The Best Shave Ice
Few things go better together than a beach boardwalk and ice cream shops. There is one place in particular that also has the best shave ice in New Jersey.
Located at 1300 Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park, Betty’s Ice Box is described by the Food Network: “There’s nothing like a cool treat while you’re strolling the boardwalk, which makes Betty’s the perfect stop for shaved ice, ice cream and popsicles.” In fact, the Food Network even named Betty’s among the 10 best places in the country to get great shave ice.
What exactly is shave ice, and how is it different than a snow cone? I first had shave ice on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. It was also the first time I was introduced to such a thing or had even heard of it. There’s a reason why it is so common and popular in Hawaii. It’s also important to note the proper term is “shave” ice, not “shaved” ice.
In fact, Hawaiian Airlines has a detailed overview of the origins of this cool treat and how it dates back to the 1800’s. “To cool off, Japanese immigrants in Hawaii used their tools to shave flakes off large blocks of ice, and then coated it with sugar or fruit juice,” they explain.
Kitchen Aid makes produces products that allow you to create as close to shave ice as you can in your own home. They also have more common snow cone makers. They are two different products because although the shave ice and snow cones are similar and use the same ingredients, they have significantly different attributes.
“The primary difference between Hawaiian shave ice and snow cones is the texture of the ice,” Kitchen Aid said. It’s more common to use a spoon with shave ice. That is because, “Hawaiian shaved ice is made by ice that has been shaved into a fine, powdery consistency.” A snow cone is packed in tight with more of a crunch in a way that a popsicle has, where it can be sucked.
Here’s What You Need To Know About The Best Shave Ice In New Jersey
Food Network calls out their watermelon flavor as one you can’t miss, in part because of the refreshing taste, but it is also served in a half watermelon. All fan favorites include pink lemonade, blue raspberry, cherry, shark bite, pineapple, and root beer. If you can’t decide which you want to enjoy, you do a half-and-half or mix of flavors.
You can see the authentic way in which Betty’s Ice Box makes a fresh order of shave ice in this video the establishment shared on their Instagram. It literally starts with chopping a large block of ice.
Betty’s Ice Box is open Sunday, Monday, and Thursday from 12 PM -7 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 12 PM to 9 PM.
