What’s your favorite ice-cold summertime treat? Perhaps you are a traditionalist who screams for ice cream. Or maybe going gourmet is more your style with a scoop of soft, refreshing sorbet. If you happen to be a Baltimore native then there’s a pretty good chance that your cool treat of choice is none other than the traditional “sno-ball” (alternately written as “sno ball” or “snowball” by some accounts).
A classic cooling concoction comprised of shaved ice doused in flavorful syrup, sno-balls are considered local favorites. In fact, many Mid-Atlantic residents grow up indulging in this sweet summer treat without even realizing it isn’t so universally available elsewhere—at least not the way they’re done up in the greater Baltimore area. But the idea behind Baltimore exclusivity is to be expected, especially given how the city lays claim to having invented the first-ever sno-balls.
That’s right, Baltimore, Maryland is often hailed as being the birthplace of the original snowball/sno ball/sno-ball. But is it really? After all, New Orleans also makes the same bold claim to fame.
Whether or not Charm City truly is where the first sno-balls originated, it cannot be denied that their offerings stand out in one-of-a-kind originality. That’s why in this Flashback Friday Feature I’m offering an insightful look into the overall history of Baltimore’s storied development of these cool crafted concoctions.
History of Flavored Ice
Before looking at the storied development behind Baltimore’s sno-ball, it’s worth mentioning that folks have been indulging in flavored ice treats since antiquity. Of course, many different icy variations have emerged throughout time and within different regions. Yet the general concept has always been the same—mixing ice with a sweet-flavored liquid and enjoying the combination as a refreshing treat.
Aside from the creamier contender we all know as ice cream, or even frozen packed ice pops, variations within the format of flavored ice treats in particular range in such popular picks as water ice (Italian/Polish/etc.), the aforementioned sorbet, Hawaiian Shave Ice, and sno-cones, which are perhaps the most similar to and oftentimes confused with classic sno-balls. However, I’d like to point out a couple of key differences between the more profusely available sno-cone and rather esoteric sno-ball.
Sno-cones, for instance, tend to pack coarser, crunchier, more granular ice. This sometimes causes the flavor to sink to the bottom and the overall quality to pale in comparison with sno-balls, which comprise a much finer shaved ice deliverance that is softer and fluffier. As a result, the flavoring absorbs more robustly into the ice, allowing for all-over taste distribution from the first bite to the last slurp.
Development of the Baltimore Sno-Ball
The now-famous sno-balls emerged on the scene in Baltimore sometime around the Industrial Revolution. During the mid-1800s, ice houses from New York would often ship wagons loaded up with ice to the South, passing through the City of Baltimore en route. It was common during the hot summer months for local kids to beg for ice shavings from these passing wagons. Over time, mothers throughout the town would get creative, taking the shaved ice offerings and adding in sweet flavors. One unique concoction, a mix of eggs, vanilla, and sugar mimicked an icy “egg custard” and went on to be an all-time favorite hit.
Even today egg custard remains a popular sno-ball flavor. Of course, now the mix is more vanilla-laced and usually omits the use of actual eggs. Flavored syrups range in more options now than ever before but one classic sno-ball additive that’s always proven enjoyable is that of melted marshmallow.
While founded in the 1800s, it wasn’t until the Great Depression era that the Baltimore Sno-Ball really took off. Nicknamed “penny sundaes” or “hard times sundaes” by some, they proved to be easy and convenient treats to fill up on at a time when money was tight. Furthermore, they were cost-efficient both to eat and to provide for, even proving to be a lucrative earning if you took to starting your own stand. This was in fact around the time that sno-ball stands began popping up throughout the city limits and greater surrounding areas in vast numbers. The abundance of these sno-ball stands even led to complaints by some community members. But the then-mayor of Baltimore, Harold W. Jackson, defended the practice by famously declaring “Some of us may be down to eating snowballs soon, and I don’t want to put any limits on the trade.”
How Does the New Orleans Sno-Ball Compare?
As mentioned previously, New Orleans, Louisiana also claims to be the originator of the first sno-ball. That city’s history solidly aligns with two accounts of ice-shaving machines having been invented locally during the Depression Era. One was by Ernest Hansen in 1934 and the other was grocer George Ortolano’s innovative Sno-Wizard machine. Still, Baltimore has the pre-20th century backing to give it a leg up in seniority.
Furthermore, there are slight differences when comparing the sno-balls in Baltimore with those from New Orleans. While both remain softer and fluffier than the easily confused sno-cone, New Orleans sno-balls tend to present a finer shaved ice presentation than those on the Baltimore regional scene. While debatable, New Orleans also boasts of having concocted more original standout flavors than Baltimore’s featured lineup. This excludes egg custard, of course.
Does Baltimore Take the Title?
The back-and-forth argument between Baltimore and New Orleans each claiming to be the birthplace of the sno-ball continues today. It would appear that Baltimore is in fact site to a novelty-flavored ice concoction of some sort and that the iconic egg custard flavor emerged here before anywhere else. But can we really validate that the ice format in those days was comparable to what it is today or that New Orleans didn’t come up with the first fluffy ice via the aforementioned machines from the 1930s? It’s really anyone’s guess.
It was New Orleans that officially declared the first of June to be “Sno-Ball Day” after all. Yet, Baltimore does hold a much further-ranging historic account in its favor. But this wouldn’t be the first time that the State of Maryland has taken credit for inventing a cool concoction.
History can get pretty sketchy where details are concerned. But there are at least two things we can confirm about the local sno-balls we all know and love. First, Baltimore sno-balls have a uniqueness about them and second, they are delicious!