America Needs: PATBINGSU

Tonight I've decided to start a new writing segment for myself, roughly paraphrased as "shit America needs". Because there's a lot of cool shit in this world, and I wish I could take it back with me and make it a thing. Maybe if I get enough people on board? Make it so, America.

If I had to pick one thing to take back with me from Korea, I would fervently, instantly, immediately choose patbingsu.

No questions, no takesies-backsies.

 So, patbingsu is brilliant. It varies a lot from establishment to establishment, but essentially, it is shaved ice, condensed milk, sweetened red beans, ice cream, and some kind of fruit and/or crunchy things. Sometimes it comes with milk, sometimes it comes with whipped cream. I don't want to use the term "crack" too loosely, but this is dessert crack.

General consensus is, you mix it up. You don't have to, but in Korea, you mix food. Aesthetics sacrificed!

And then you destroy it in a distressingly short period of time.

I am not quite sure how to describe it in a way that sounds appetizing, but honestly, it may be my favorite dessert in any form. It makes me feel crazy. I have eaten far too much patbingsu than I want to admit. Unfortunately it goes away from the fall, winter, and spring, so I have to cram it all into my summer.
Oh! And instead of red bean (pat)bingsu, you can also get coffeebingsu and berrybingsu and green teabingsu! You have crack options, guys, don't worry.

America, listen up! You need patbingsu in your life. It's decadent, fun, interactive ice cream that also happens to be mostly water, so you can eat more of it without feeling guilty! Probably. That's how I justify it, anyway. I'm going to miss it very much, very soon.