falling for snow
Turning ice to snow is a sweet business for siblings passionate about dessert
By Laurie Hughes
Winnipeg eaters are reaping sweet benefits of wide scale popularization of Korean flavours. Along with expanding appeal of kimchi and gochujang , bingsu — a dessert re-imagined from ice to snow — is making a mark on the city’s food culture.
Don’t be dismayed if you haven’t heard of bingsu, the culinary confection poised to outshine, at least out tower, those new favourite umami-laden flavours. This wildly popular shaved ice dessert served in cafés everywhere throughout Korea, requires a specialty machine and is not as easy to assimilate into Canada’s café culture.
Decadent bowls of shaved ice heaped with an assortment of treats define the dish and each shop selling it is defined by its creative imaginings. Traditionally topped with red beans and drizzled with condensed milk, iterations have become fancier with endless varieties of toppings and presentations.
That’s why dreamer entrepreneur David Lee and his chef sister Amber Lee were excited to be the first to introduce the novelty to Winnipeg, even redefine the signature sweet of Korea, giving it a decidedly regional twist.
In November 2017 the siblings opened their cute dessert café in the suburbs, Snow and Moon, and began selling a customized shaved ice dessert with a twist; calling it snow. The name change was more than a branding strategy catering to Winnipeggers, who really know snow, David chuckles. The dessert snow chef Amber created elevates the ubiquitous dish known by the masses in her homeland to something extraordinary. What started out as market research several months earlier ignited her inherent curiosity and culinary passion.
Amber was the head chef at a four-star resort hotel in Korea when her brother pitched the idea of joining him in Winnipeg to open a business together. She needed a beat, though. She didn’t speak English and was happy where she was, but David made a compelling case, selling the virtues of business ownership and painting a picture of independence and new opportunities.
Once Amber agreed, plans took shape to introduce a specialty dessert café, drawing from their wide appeal in Korea and wide-open market in Winnipeg. Amber’s consent was based on one condition. She insisted on upholding a high standard of quality to the venture.
Bingsu was an obvious dish to build a dessert café around. Shaved ice desserts are well loved in Asian countries dating back hundreds of years. The oldest mention is recorded in China around 3000 BC, prepared with snow or ice mixed with honey and fruit juice, and more recently introduced in Korea during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897). Government officials would shave the ice from a royal ice box and serve it with fruit to cope with the heat.
Despite its legacy, Amber was reticent. There was no denying the popularity of the more modern fancy confection, with seemingly limitless presentations, but most looked better than they tasted, she asserts. This was her chance to make it better. So before leaving home and dropping Korea’s national dessert to Winnipeg consumers, she did.
Drawing on her industry knowledge, David’s sister remembered a five-star hotel sparing no effort coming up with over-the-top bowls of indulgence. For a hefty price of $60 for a bowl, she enjoyed a version so delicate, and creamier than anything she had tasted before. “You could taste the quality ingredients in every bite”, she reminisces. She quickly concluded the bowl was made of shaved milk. It was a revelatory turning point, and she knew it was exactly what she wanted to replicate. Condensed milk was commonly added to the shaved ice concoctions but didn’t make up the ice itself. Eventually, through trial and error, she achieved a blend of milk and condensed milk that met her standards.
Meanwhile, the recipe updates Amber was sharing from across the globe triggered David to do some magical thinking of his own. Shifting from a water to milk based product created an opportunity. The idea instantly jelled and a cleverly cute snowflake in bowl graphic shortly followed wrapping up the new identity. Visions of franchising were already dancing in his head.
The opening of Snow and Moon was an instant success. The siblings recall the line-up of customers winding out the door regularly. Any doubts they may have had vanished. Energized by the positive response, they opened a second location on St. James Street twelve months later to be well positioned to treat Polo Park shoppers.
Everything went as planned for another year before the spring of 2020 brought its onslaught of uncertainties. Towering ice cream desserts known for alluring artistic presentations don’t travel well for take-out.
Despite bumps in the road, dessert sales are rebounding at Snow and Moon’s premiere location. The pair pivoted St. James to a full-service restaurant dedicated to Korean specialties, renaming it Queen. “For my sister” David quips. He gushes about his little sister’s cooking skills, stating her mastery of one of the world’s most nuanced cuisines. As diners discover Queen, demand for the dessert snow is snowballing there too and re-energizing the pair’s plans for growth.
Their confidence is unwavered. They still believe Winnipeg to be the perfect place to popularize edible snow, before taking their Korean snow across Canada. One thing is certain, these affectionate siblings agree it’s the idea and the product that drives a successful venture. For Snow and Moon, passion, smarts, and a little fun is the perfect recipe.
