Exploring Regional Ice Desserts: A Cool Journey Across China

In the sweltering summer, various regions showcase their unique ice treats. Guizhou's ice pulp is made with fresh fruits, sticky rice, ice, and sugar, with the sticky rice adding a smooth texture and layers. The classic cucumber milk ice pulp is incredibly refreshing. Mango-flavored ice pulp is rich in fruit, exuding a strong tropical vibe.

Tianjin's traditional shaved ice features hawthorn, apricot, sour cake, and red beans, with a mix of sour and sweet flavors, generous on the toppings but light on the ice. Snowflake yogurt, the Tianjin equivalent of a frappuccino, is delicate and delicious.

Beijing's milk custard fruit ice combines custard with strawberry slush, offering a creamy texture with a hint of fermented aroma. Watermelon custard is a summer exclusive, made with watermelon juice.

Xinjiang's Sharanduoke is a shaved ice with yogurt, pleasantly sour and sweet. Maloshi is a milk ice cream, dense and smooth, with a rich aroma of milk and eggs.

Chaoshan's five-fruit soup allows for free combinations of ingredients like pearl barley, longan, and lotus seeds, providing a cool relief from the heat. Mung bean and kelp soup has mung beans that turn into a sandy texture, with kelp strands adding a chewiness.

Sichuan's ice jelly, ice dumplings, and ice tofu are excellent summer coolers. The three-treasure ice jelly includes white fungus, fermented rice, and small dumplings, offering a rich texture. Ice dumplings are made with crushed ice, fermented rice, and brown sugar water, perfect for alleviating spiciness. Ice-soaked tofu is simply made with fermented rice water and cool tofu, a heavenly treat.

Yunnan's Paoluoda and papaya water are street desserts. Papaya water is made with fake sour seed jelly, with rose sugar as a highlight. Paoluoda consists of bread crumbs, milk, and coconut milk, cool and sweet.

Hainan's Qingbu Liang is based on coconut water or coconut milk, with a variety of toppings. Coconut milk shaved ice Qingbu Liang features fine ice shavings with a strong coconut aroma, providing a refreshing and satisfying experience.

Each region's ice treat has its own charm, offering a cool respite in the summer heat.