Comparing Indonesia Summer Dessert to Water Ice

By Justin Prasetyo
June 8, 2023

The almighty ‘Water Ice’, a popular and sought-after treat in the city of Philadelphia, has finally been challenged. ‘Es Campur’, the contender, is a delicious, frosty delicacy made from fruit cocktails, coconuts, grass jellies, and many other ingredients mixed together to create perfection. Es Campur is a traditional Indonesian dessert with a sweet and sour taste. It is often enjoyed as a special treat or during festive occasions in Indonesia. A spoonful of this refreshing dessert will create an explosion of flavors in your mouth, leaving you craving for more. 

Although water ice and Es Campur both use ice as a main component, they differ in many other ways. Regarding taste, water ice is similar to sorbet or snow cones — it has a sweet and fresh taste from fruits and other flavorings, while Es Campur offers a more complex and varied experience with a blend of many different types of ingredients and flavors. Presentation wise, water ice is often served in a simple manner, while Es Campur is presented in a much more thoughtful way; with crushed ice forming a base, topped with an assortment of colorful ingredients. It’s usually served in a bowl to make it look as good as it tastes. Overall, Es Campur has a much more flexible recipe and is served in a more respectful manner than its counterpart. This article might be biased as this is written by Indonesian immigrants.