Riches-2. Red bean Sherbet

Basic Info:
Red bean sherbet is a snack that was made with crushed ice and red bean syrup that was sweetened with sugar, add milk and sometimes added rice cakes on the top. In the present people add fruits or artificial fruit syrups to enjoy the coolness under hot blazing sun. With all the toppings placed on the top of the crushed ice, you would mix them with spoon and eat. It was another great ice snack along with fruited punch (also known as hwa chae).

History:
The sherbet was actually originated from China where they would chip off ice or get a pile of snow and eat them with honey or fruit juice. This recipe was passed on by Marco Polo to Benicia when he was visiting China. In the west, about in 300 A.D Alexander the Great fed his soldiers who were tried from marching under hot sun. In Korea, ice was very expensive and valuable that only wealthy people could enjoy the treat. Like the idea of eating crushed ice snack from China, the usage of red bean syrup was adopted from Japan, the neighboring country. Japan had been eating red bean soup and to cool it they placed a spoonful of the soup on the snow or ice. That later became the form of red bean sherbet. This shows how neighboring countries affect each other's culture but also the gap between the social classes since only one group could enjoy the privilege.

CCTO:
The red bean syrup is still continued to be used today as the main ingredient. However people seemed to add more and more toppings along the rice cake. I've seen cereal, ice cream, fruits, cookies/biscuits, nuts, and different syrup like chocolate or strawberry. However the continuity is that the #1 snack that people look for during the summer is the red bean sherbet. The knowledge to get rid off the heat of our ancestors is still conserved.

Experience: 
It was just last summer when I had my last spoonful of the red bean sherbet. I went to this shop where they sold traditional red bean sherbet- made up of only crushed ice, red bean syrup and some rice cake. I was very thrilled to try it because I've seen celebrities visiting this very place and complimented the food. As I took a spoonful of the ice, my tongue felt numb because it was cold. However few seconds later I gave up on eating. The syrup was supposed to be sweet but it just tasted like regular red bean, only boiled, no sugar added. If you want to taste sweet and better red bean sherbet I recommend going to Baskin Robins 31 or Paris Bagette during summer. They would have different types of sherbet that even have a scoop of ice cream in it.