When Jenny Martin moved here from California in 1997, she was exhausted. She'd been running a large dairy in San Bernardino and was hoping for a quiet life in Hawaii, so she had her eye out for a small business to run, something with low startup costs. Someone suggested a shave-ice stand.

“;I didn't know what that was then,”; she recalls with a chuckle. “;I only knew snow cone.”;

Martin's future husband took her around the island to teach her about quality shave ice, and when she was educated, she invested $1,600 to purchase a stand. With her own personal touches, Martin turned the stand into a lucrative venture that has become anything but quiet.

It seems that try as she might, Martin—who also once ran her own import-export textile business, restaurant and video store—can't seem to keep business on a small scale. As well as cooking her own azuki bean and mochi ball condiments for the stand, she also runs a wholesale business selling cotton candy and shave-ice syrup. That means Martin's seven days at the stand, from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., are what she refers to as her “;relaxing time.”;

Most days, Martin has steady business there, and her shave-ice output ranges from 150 to 500 cones a day. She gets about six shave ice domes per circular block, which come out of the freezer about 9 inches high and a foot in circumference. Secrets of the trade: gloves and acute hearing. The former keep fingers from freezing, while the latter enables quality control of the ice.

“;I can hear if the ice is shaving soft or rough, even as I'm talking to the customer,”; Martin says. “;If it's rough, I throw it out.”;

Martin rises early and retires late. By 7 a.m., mochi rice is boiling on her industrial stove, syrups are being concocted and cotton candy is being spun into fluffy balls. The azuki beans, which can be frozen for two months, are cooked up only occasionally in batches of 50 pounds (see recipe). Whatever wholesale orders aren't filled in the morning are completed at night, and work continues until 8 or 10 p.m.

Martin's selection of syrups is extensive. She produces 40 flavors that begin with base syrups she orders from the mainland. Then she tinkers with recipes to mix such local flavors as lychee, li hing, haupia and Melona.

As for her most popular item: “;I started the mochi balls for fun, but now it's work. It takes a couple of hours to make each day. But this way, I can serve my customers extra. With ready-made, I could not afford to do it.”;

This extra effort is another component of Martin's success. When she discusses her technique for creating tall shave-ice domes, she says, only half joking, “;You have to put your heart into every one.”;

Martin's business ethic is reflected in her relationships with customers, many of whom return regularly and often.

Allen Cardines and his 11-year-old son, Jason, of Royal Kunia are happy they don't have to drive “;all the way to the North Shore for good shave ice anymore.”;

Jason's favorite is banana with mochi balls; his father is also a converted mochi-ball fan. “;I always ate mine with ice cream, but my wife encouraged me to eat the mochi balls. Once I did, that was it.”;

The Korean-born Martin admits business is good, but she's not living the high life off her lucrative stand. Rather, like many, she's supporting the college careers of her son and daughter.

“;This pays for it all. I work hard, sometimes my body hurts, but this gives my kids their future,”; she says. “;I always say to them, 'Look at me. If you want to work hard like this, don't go to school.'”;

Still, Martin enjoys her work.

“;Hawaii people are so polite: They're nice, soft and gentle. My favorite part of this job is that at the end of the day, I have some customers who become friends. They sit down and talk, and there's always a joke to share.”;

Azuki Bean filling

From Shave Ice Lady Jenny Martin
3 cups dried azuki beans
2-1/2 cups sugar
Water

Soak azuki beans in water for a day.

Rinse, then pour into a pot and cover with enough water to barely cover beans. Bring water to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook about 40 minutes, until beans are tender and just a small amount of water covers bottom of pot.

Add sugar and cover. Do not stir. After about 20 minutes, sugar should have melted somewhat. Stir, and continue to cook on medium low or low heat 2 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally. Cook until azuki turns a dark color and liquid thickens to a good consistency.

Cooked beans can be frozen for a couple of months. Use in mochi, manju or at the bottom of a cup of shave ice.