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.
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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