Monday, July 28, 2014

Snow cream shavery coming to East 10th Street



Renovations are underway at the former Kung Fu Tea location at 241 E. 10th St. at First Avenue.

Coming soon here: Snowdays Shavery.

The sign went up Saturday.


[Image via Facebook]

Here's the description via Facebook:

Combining the texture of shaved ice with the creaminess of ice cream, we make something called snow cream.

From a shave cream trends piece in The Huffington Post from last summer:

Lighter than ice cream, smoother than shave ice, and creamier than sorbet, there isn't much to directly compare this to ... but whatever it is, it's delicious.

Generally served in Asian-inspired flavors, don't expect Yogurtland-esque offerings to be on the menu. Most snow cream shops offer flavors such as black sesame, green tea, and taro (alongside the original, sweet cream flavor), toppings including red bean, lychee, and mochi (with some more common fruit toppings mixed in), and most people top their creation with condensed milk.

One of the coolest parts of a snow cream experience is the actual way it is prepared: the snow cream is shaved off of large blocks, each of a different flavor. Unlike shave ice, the snow cream comes off in large ribbons, not small, icy pieces.

H/T EVG reader Sarah

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ok I eat ice cream occasionally in the non summer months but it is usually some I buy from the bodega nearby or with my groceries, I don't see frozen summer treats having much luck sustains the rest of the year.

Anonymous said...

I used to make this as a kid! Of course, we used real snow. And our only flavor was vanilla. But it was good!

Anonymous said...

Gimme a chocolate milkshake with another one's worth in a stainless steel cup at an old diner once a month or so over this nouveau dessert bullshit.

D

Anonymous said...

Bring the hippies back to the East Village!

Oh you don't like hippies? Well consider that they had a lot more going for them than specialty food. I'll take the Fillmore East any day over farm to table...

Bowery Boogie said...

or you could just go to the pushcart guy for a fraction of the price.

9:47 a.m. said...

This is like the Filipino dessert called "Halo-Halo" popularized by Anthony Bourdain and Dale Talde. Yet another overpriced temple of gluttony where an ordinary, inexpensive ethnic or foreign, street food —— much like tacos, banh mi, ices, poutine, bagels —— elevated, glamourized, and hipsterized to something "special" to satisfy the foodies and tourists to keep and maintain their self-conscious status symbol.

Gojira said...

And yet another waste of storefront space, which was once used to appeal to the adults in the neighborhood, but now, like so many others, is being turned over to the kindergarten brats masquerading as young "adults".

Anonymous said...

Don't eat the yellow Snowdays.

Anonymous said...

I remember when "snow" in the E.V. really meant something...

Anonymous said...

Haha, these comments are hilarious. The article doesn't say anything about their flavors, their pricing, or their target market, and these pretentious idiots are already complaining. (gojira)

Anonymous said...

As the article points out, it's yet another trend. If a froyo shop or gastropub or any other trendy thing opens up in the EV, who do you think their target customers are? The pretentious or idiots or pretentious, much like the target customers of this joint. You don't need that to be written down. Then again being a mindless lemming, one needs to be told what to do.

JAZ said...

$5-$6? sounds a bit pricey, but is that for small, medium, or hoof?

Anonymous said...

I know it's EV Grieve but does anyone here ever get excited about anything moving into the neighborhood? Seems like it's only a blog to gripe.

If you really care about the neighborhood why not at least let businesses open before criticizing? How much does EV Grieve (or it's snobby sentiment) contribute to this revolving door of businesses?

If the answer's even a little, you should think about that...

Anonymous said...

Welcome to the Internet, 12:31!

Usually factors such as product, pricing, location, customer service and the economy play a more critical role in determining the success of a business as opposed to 10 or so comments on a neighborhood blog.

So focus on that.

Anonymous said...

"does anyone here ever get excited about anything moving into the neighborhood?"

Yes, if they'd open up places that would serve the residents and community, like a fish market, butcher, fruit and vegetable market, locksnith, hardware, etc. as opposed to serving the tourists and transients. But since the rents are too damn high, they won't be able to, but you get places like this opening up instead. And if you like living in a rich version of Disneyland and have the tourists and transients in your face and in your neighborhood, then please feel free to get excited for the opening of this. In 2-3 years time, you won't most likely be here since the EV is just a stomping ground and a playground for you.

nygrump said...

Good luck to these guys, the winter can be tough. At least this is something different.

Anonymous said...

I am a perpetual moaner like the rest of you, but I have been waiting for this dessert to arrive in NY since I first tried it in Asia a few years ago. If you have any love for frozen milk or cream-based desserts at all, and your inner child is not completely dead, you should indulge a little bit and check this stuff out. It's weird and delightful and slightly mind-bending.

Ken from Ken's Kitchen said...

Going Soon! Snowdays

Anonymous said...

People were also excited about Pinkberry and then Red Mango and then the rest of fro-yos, Chipotle, Dos Toros, Pie Face, cupcakes (Magnolia, Butter Lane, Crumbs, etc.) ... when they first opened. Good luck to all you and that.

"When people have tried everything and have discovered that nothing works, they will tend to revert to what they know best—which will often be the tribe, the totem, or the taboo."
― Christopher Hitchens

Giovanni said...

Coming soon: One hundred Elmos and Superheroes fighting for tips from toursts on St Marks Place, while you take selfies of yourself slurping on a $6 snow cream. Enjoy!

Gojira said...

@Anon. 11:31, I did not "say anything about their flavors (or) their pricing", since I don't care about either, but anyone with the brain of a gnat can figure out their target market, even a "pretentious idiot" like me (altho what is pretentious about my being sick of nothing but stores for mental 15-year-olds opening, I have no idea).

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 3:25, Many commenters here never had an inner child, even as children. I, for one, will be there on opening day for my snow cream. Mmmmm!

Anonymous said...

Why all the hate?

Sounds interesting to me. At least it's something different from another chain fast-food store. Then again, I love sweets. I'll reserve judgment until I at least try it...

- East Villager

Anonymous said...

I do not know about all you sad, depressed and negative people but I welcome something new and different to the East Village!!
Much Success Snowdays.....