Scouting Report: It was only fitting to offset the heat of the summer with a snow cone maker. This one is easy-to-use and compact.
I chose to live in Oregon because of the mild weather, among other attributes. Imagine my dismay when, this summer, Oregon had record-breaking heatwaves. One day it was 117 degrees. Not only was that literal hellscape ruining my summer, but wildfires raged all around and smoke threatened to cancel my outdoor summer activities.
Since the world was on fire and it was my son’s birthday, I bought a snow cone maker and some colorful syrups, something a bit out of the ordinary for any of my normal purchasing queries. While these devices are sometimes also inexplicably called “sno” cone machines or shaved ice makers, I wasn’t after the big, commercial ones that can be more expensive than what I’d want to commit to for something I’m only going to use part of the year. The one I got has a simple plug-in motor and is easy to use while being small enough to store in my tiny cabinets.
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My kids were beyond thrilled by my purchase and began ordering up rainbow concoctions. Since I’m making these myself, I can make better-sized portions of the nutritionally bereft treat and give them less syrup than they might get from a traditional shaved ice truck or store. They didn’t seem to suffer from a lack of flavor.
After they went to bed, I made myself a big bowl of ice and doused it in Tiger’s Blood, a disturbingly named flavor that I’ve learned is traditionally coconut-strawberry. I curled up on the couch with a binge-able Netflix show and let the bright-red ice soothe my heat-induced headache and apocalyptic anxiety.
You can dilute the shaved ice with water, coffee, juice, or margarita mix to create all manner of icy beverages. I made a “plain” snow cone for my overheated, black, spoiled lab/boxer and she had a really fantastic time scarfing up the ice, to the amusement of my kids. She now begs for her own whenever I fire up the motor on the machine.
I can’t save the world from fire, heat, and brimstone. I can’t fix the pandemic or climate change all on my own. I can do my part as it aligns with my values and community, and, while I wait for large-scale systemic change, I can give my kids, my dog, and myself a fluffy, icy treat.
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