Had a ‘we-time’ with my husband on Sunday, the kids went to Samal Island here in Davao with their cousins and we also have important stuff to attend to so we came back to the mainland. We dropped by Ice Giants, one of the convenient cold stops here in Davao and had two of these ‘Halo-halo’ – it’s a pinoy specialty and it’s deemed extra special during summer as it’s basically made of crushed ice topped with mixed sweets, often sweetened black beans, leche flan, jelly stuff in Christmas colors.. etc, etc. practically anything sweet that can go with crushed ice, it’s usually and must be finished off with evaporated milk and sugar is optional if you’re a sweet tooth, but the main character is the ube flavored ice-cream on top of them all.
I actually have no idea why ‘halo’halo’ sellers choose ube flavored ice-cream when they can actually top it with vanilla, strawberry or whatever – but seldom I see ‘halo-halo’ with these flavors on top, a reason why I kept thinking, why does ‘halo-halo’ have ube ice-cream on top? Any idea? It would be much appreciated!
Tagged: Halo-Halo
Ay, pagkalami na lang jud! Just post a photo of halo-halo in my blog pero murag dili ani ka lamk ang nawong bah. Hehehe
When I was growing up, an order of “special” halo-halo adds a scoop of ube halaya (jam). Ube fits the theme of the dessert — its a sweetened starchy vegetable like most of the other ingredients. If it had more fruits it would be more like a fruit salad.
the color i guess…. halo-halo is simply IRRESISTIBLE!
i love halo halo.. but i like it the simple way like in razons. hehe
I’m not sure why, but I like it better with Ube ice cream.
I’m not sure why also but when I tried vanilla ice cream on halo-halo it was not that delicious unlike if it was ube. and I love ube anyway.
Honestly, when it comes to halo- halo, the last thing I do is think, My sweet tooth makes it impossible for me to think twice anyway. Yummy !
I suppose it’s the color of the ube ice cream!
Maybe its the ingredient, or the colors.. the important is that the whole halo halo taste great
Wow! Yummy! Today is Sunday, maybe I’ll ask hubby to go on a date
That looks super yummy. My mouth is watering.
To add more color to the already colourful Pinoy dessert.
Drooling already. Hehe. I may be being biased since i love ube, but i think a halo-halo tastes best with ube ice cream.
wow, so yummy and tempting, i so love halo halo too especially on a hot summer day.
Ube to add additional color. Halo halo seems yummy if it’s more colorful. Haha.
I think it looks prettier to use ube ice cream.
Para colorful? haha… Usually they put ube jam. But I believe it’s more expensive than ice cream. Vendors usually put a little ube on it. So to make a stronger ube flavor they’ll add ube ice cream…. Ang gulo naman ng sagot ko. hhaha
Along with leche flan and macapuno, ube is one of the most popular toppings they place in halo-halo. I suppose they’re now using ube ice cream to make it creamier or perhaps to make it the “coolest” summer merienda. Though I think your explanation, Laids, is more likely the right one.
I love it too… I’m drooling na…
when I dine at chowking years ago, they used vanilla ice cream…
For style, garnishing a halo-halo with a scoop of a ube ice cream flavor. Why ube? It’s is less ordered flavor. Or they want to promote that kind of flavor. By the way, before I was confused how to eat this kind of cold food. I watched others on how they eat. Then I got an idea. The ice cream should be eaten first. Then mix the halo-halo.
Sarap naman ng halo-halo!
Maybe because ube is a main part of the halo-halo and they chose to use ice cream to make it more special, hehe )
Ah…. you got me thinking too. I didn’t notice until you pointed it out, I just eat to my stomach’s delight. LOL
When I go eat halo Halo I’m going to ask them Y the ube and not chocolate icecream.
i think that was a trial and error process and in the end ube ice cream won! before there were options like strawberry, mango, etc but doesn’t really complement the other ingredients…
I don’t have any idea but one thing is for sure ube ice cream makes halo halo more special and tasty.
I believe it is because ube ice cream is tasteful. I believe myself.
to make it more appealing – to foreign tourists especially. Do you think they would dare to order a cup of dessert that is covered in Ice and milk hihih….
and also, the name implies. throw all sweets and make halo hahhaa
I couldn’t imagine a halo-halo without an ube that’s for sure.
tricky question hahaha!
maybe to balance the color…tingin ko lang
maybe because Ube is one of the ingredients in halo-halo? I actually don’t have any idea..:)
I have not thought about this though I have been eating halo-halo with ube since time immemorial.
Perhaps ube ice cream is cheaper than the ube flan?
Yeah, maybe Ube because to give it more of a local flavor. Some halo halos don’t have ice cream at all but have some ube topping.
Halo-halo in Sagada have macaroni in them.
most of the halo-halo spots here in Pampanga don’t have ube with them. I think putting an ube just plainly neutralizes the color of all ‘sangkap’ since ube is kinda darker than the other sangkap, that color will stand out. *just thinking* LOL
I think ang ube naga add sa color to the halo-halo that’s why. and just like what helena and lady said, ube is a local flavor to the Philippine cuisine so I guess both are the reasons why it has the Ube ice cream to top the halo-halo. yum yum!
I love halo-halo. Thos you have is similar to want chowking offers with one or two ice-cream scoops at top. This makes me crave for halo-halo now….
Not really sure about the Ube flavored ice cream on top of halu halo but may be it got something to do with the matching of the colors. They make the colors halu halo as well.
Come to think of it, halo halo always has ube ice cream which I always remove because I don’t like Ube ice cream
I love everything else in halo halo.
I think it’s because of the color? Ube has a striking color as compared to vanilla, and it goes well with the other halo-halo ingredients.
Nice one. Sana ibang flavor ang gawin nilang topping for our halo-halos. Others put leche flan on them, too. XD
delishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I miss eating halo2x and it is perfect refreshing for the excruciating hot
Made me crave for Halo-Halo. It’s hot here in the Middle East right now. Waaaaahhhh!!!
nom nom nom….
Craving for Halo Halo…I like the halo halo at Razon’s. Yummy!
strawberry, although can be grown in Baguio, is associated as ‘imported’ fruit; vanilla is well, not a fruit, while ube flavored ice cream is something local and harvest from the field similar to beans and banana! Wild guess!
i find it intriguing, the final question you had whether we can add other flavors to halo halo instead of using the traditional ube ice cream. i think it’s more of a cultural thing to have ube flavored ice cream on one’s halo halo.
I think its because halo-halo is a pinoy dessert and ube is a nice little end to that being a pinoy flavor itself. Also because halo-halo already has ube (the real one) in its list of ingredients?
I love the taste of ube and maybe other people love it too.
I think it’s because you put actual ube on halo-halo. If there was a lecheflan flavored ice cream, they’d put it there too.
I want to believe that it has something to do with the color combination plus the fact that if it’s in ube color di ba parang ang sarap sarap kainin kahit pa nga di sya edible haha!
siguro dahil ang talagang inilalagay sa ibabaw ng halo-halo eh ube at leche flan.parang replacement na lang siguro yung ice cream na ube flavor.
siguro dahil ang talagang inilalagay sa ibabaw ng halo-halo eh ube at leche flan.parang replacement na lang siguro yung ice cream na ube flavor.
~CorbyLove
That dessert looks really delish.. especially the color combination.
No idea why it is combined that way but I guess it should taste better.
i think kaya ube nilalagay para madistinguish na authentic pinoy dessert ito. kasi tayo lang ata ang nakakaappreciate ng ube root crops.
For one, I think it’s to add color. Also, halo-halo without the ice cream, they usually top it with real ube and leche flan….so I guess that’s the idea with ube ice cream
**note: not sure if my comment went through. If this is a duplicate, please kindly delete it. Thanks!
For one, I think it’s to add color. Also, halo-halo without the ice cream, they usually top it with real ube and leche flan….so I guess that’s the idea with ube ice cream
Hi mommy Vernz. At the restaurant where I work, a customer can request for any available ice cream flavor we have to top his/her Halo-halo. But in our sensory evaluation study we learned that more people prefer ube ice cream because it blends well with the flavor of the other components Halo-halo. It also adds richness when mixed with milk.
I think na ube can make the halo halo more colorful but usually ang request ko may iba pang toppings na icecream bukod pa sa ube
unfortunately ube or any ube products is not my type so I’m very very sad why among the various delicious ice cream flavors, they’re choosing it… I was able to find some places though na hindi ube ice cream ang nilalagay pag special yung halo-halo like sa Chicco Di Cafe and sa Razons… hahaha I love Ice Giants too minus the Ube Ice cream… =)
I’m not a HUGE halo-halo fan, since I wasn’t used to having it around while growing up (we were based in Brunei for a long time) but this post makes me crave for it anyway! Haha! Maybe it’s ube because it’s the most “Filipino” flavored ice cream!
Maybe because it has the most beautiful color. I love ube!
i also wonder why they always put ube ice cream but i still love halo-halo. kagutom ang post mo.
I think it’s because it adds to the ube flavor and balances the sweetness of the sugar and leche flan…craving now..off to chowking later hehe
from what I know Ube is really used a binder for the halo halo and its yummy too but they use Ube Ice Cream as the substitute for Ube its cheaper and easier to find
That photo is mouth watering, so yummy! I think it’s ube-flavored ice cream so it could fit in with the ingredients like the ube na. hehe
Mommy Maye (http://momayes.blogspot.com/)
HI Everyone, thank you for taking time to drop by? I’ll be right on your blog soonest
As of this writing I am thinking of the justifiable reason why they used flavored ice cream instead of other ice cream flavor.
My sister used “halaya” which main ingredient is Ube. I think since Halaya is so meticulous to cook they choose an alternative which is the Ube flavored Ice cream.