Summer is almost over, but it won’t be cooling down anytime soon here in Phoenix, AZ. What better way to beat the heat than with a Fancy Navajo Piccadilly Snow Cone using a homemade berry sauce and a Fancy Navajo twist! If you have never heard of a piccadilly snow cone then you are in for a treat!
It’s a phenomenon that took off last summer and it’s like everywhere you went you could find a version of piccadilly. Piccadilly is a snow cone topped with pickles and Kool-Aid. It has a unique flavor that offers both sweet and tangy flavors. It’s strangely addicting and is a unique dessert especially for those that love pickles.
Although this tangy dessert may not be for everyone, its surely a conversation starter and worth a bite a or two. You can find it at pretty much any outdoor flea market and even in your local shaved iced stores (sometimes just called a pickle slush). It spans across different cultures and I wanted to add my own twist.
Homemade berry sauce instead of store bough snow cone syrup…
As much as I love shaved ice, I don’t eat it often. Mainly because my husband has an allergy to thickening agents such as xantham, guar, and cellulose gum (basically anything with the word gum) which are main components of snow cone syrup. So, I opt to not eat food items that contain these ingredients. I can’t imagine having a food allergy so I always try to find ways to make gum free foods that we can both enjoy.
If you follow me on Instagram, then you know that I am a breakfast aficionado and I love making pancakes and waffles. My favorite part is making my own berry sauce/syrup. Not only can I control how much sugar is used, but I can cut out all the unnecessary ingredients.
Making your own homemade berry sauce is simple to make and you can change it up based on what berries are in season. You can also use frozen berries in place of fresh berries. My favorite berries to use are strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and even black cherries!
Homemade pickles instead of store-bought pickles…
I recently grew my own cucumbers in my backyard garden so I made my own pickles. You would be surprised by how simple this was and now I can’t get myself to buy store bought. Not only can you control how much salt is added but you can change up the flavors!!!
I made a small batch of refrigerator pickles. I played around with the brine after browsing a few recipes. All you really need is Vinegar (Apple or white), water, and spices. I added black peppercorns, garlic, dill, and jalapeños to mine! After a few days it was ready to eat and they were so crunchy and flavorful!
Okay now onto the Fancy Navajo twist…
I’ve been wanting to find ways to use chííłchin (sumac berry) in my diet. It is a small red berry that I don’t eat very often because it is naturally tart. I have had it as a pudding and tea. Last year I experimented with making cookies using sumac berry. They were like lemon cookies and once I have perfected the recipe I will share. It also a common spice used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines that has a lot of health benefits. Have you had sumac berry before?
Since sumac berry is tart, this was the perfect substitution for the Kool Aid topping. Because I don’t know about you but eating citric acid doesn’t sound very appealing. I purchased my chiłchin (sumac berry) at Navajo Pride in Farmington, NM, but you can also find it in specialty spice stores such as World Market or Amazon.
I hope you enjoy Fancy Navajo Piccadilly and if you make it please send me a picture. I would love to see!
Fancy Navajo Piccadilly – Homemade Berry Sauce Recipe
Yields: 2-4 Servings
Ingredients:
- 1 Cup Blueberries (or any other type of berry or cherry)
- 1 Cup Water
- 1/4 cup of Granulated Sugar (Can be substituted for any type of sugar)
- 1-2 Cups of Crushed Iced
- 1/4 cup of Pickles
- 1/2 Teaspoon of Crushed Chííłchin (Sumac Berry)
- Blender (I love my Ninja Professional Blender and Magic Bullet)
Directions:
- In a small sauce pan add in blueberries, water, and sugar. On a medium heat, bring to boil and let simmer until it starts to thicken.
- Remove sauce pan from stove and let berry sauce cool. Once cooled, transfer to a blender. Blend mixture until a smooth consistency. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
- Dice pickles into small cubes
- Get ice ready and coarsely blend in a blender and set aside.
- Assemble Piccadilly. In a bowl add in a cup of crushed ice. Drizzle berry sauce so that ice is completely covered. Top with diced pickles and sprinkle with chííłchin (sumac berry).
- Enjoy!
*** If you use this for cultural workshops or food demonstrations please give credit to my website TheFancyNavajo.com. If you are interested in sharing recipes with your company or organization please email me TheFancyNavajo@gmail.com for permission***
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Want to read about my Fancy Navajo Rez Tour Part 4: Exploring Antelope Canyon, Lake Powell, and Horseshoe Bend? Then head on over to this post. https://thefancynavajo.com/2019/07/26/fancy-navajo-rez-tour-part-4-exploring-antelope-canyon-lake-powell-and-horseshoe-bend/
Ya ateeh’ abini’! 🌻
Just curious. How would you say your homemade creation tasted in comparison to the ones at the the rez flea markets?
Its much more fresh tasting!! It’s also not as sweet and sour because with this recipe you can control the ingredients! I am not the biggest fan of picadilly but quite enjoyed this recipe I created. The homemade Berry Sauce on its own with the ice was superb!!