Finely shaved ice soaked in flavoured syrup and often crowned with marshmallow, the egg-custard flavour being the Baltimore default. It is the city's summer treat, sold from corner stands.
Where to eat it: 1 restaurant across 1 city.
The Baltimore snowball dates to the 19th century, when ice shaved from blocks was sold cheap to working families through the summer. Unlike a coarse snow cone, the ice is shaved fine enough to drink with a spoon, then drenched in syrup. Egg custard, a vanilla-yellow flavour, is the local signature, frequently topped with a layer of marshmallow. Seasonal stands, some over a century old, still run from spring through summer across the neighbourhoods.
Common allergens: Egg
Tip from the editors. Shave the ice fine, not crushed; the texture should be soft enough to eat with a spoon, which is what separates a snowball from a snow cone.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Walther Gardens runs one of the country's oldest snowball stands, shaving ice over syrup and topping the egg-custard classic with marshmallow each summer.
Try: Egg-custard snowball with marshmallow
Tip: It is summer-only and cash-friendly; the egg custard with marshmallow is the Baltimore order.
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