Executive classroom honors area car dealer
July 1, 2008
Robert Edwin Crane Jr.
July 3, 2008
With the temperatures outside in the mid-90s and the heat index making it feel like it’s 100-plus degrees, residents are opting for a cooler way to stay hydrated – a sweet tasting fluff of ice.
Snowballs are born from a block of ice, shaved down to a puffball of snow and topped with the sugary syrup of one’s choice. It’s been a hit for centuries, dating back to the period when ice shaver vendors walked the streets selling them.
In the summer months in south Louisiana, snowballs are a staple. They help locals stay cool, said Houma resident Brooke Carrere, a 15-year vet in the shaved ice business. She operates Mom’s Also Snow N Go, which is a spin-off of one of Houma’s first stands, Mom’s Snowballs on Grand Caillou.
The frozen treat reportedly first made its way to the Bayou Region in the mid-1930s, according to www.snow-cone.com. Given Louisiana’s hot summers, it didn’t take long for the snowball to become a favorite for all ages.
Over the years, advanced technology and creative syrup concoctions have helped shaved ice proprietors carve a seasonal niche in the local marketplace.
As a young girl, Carrere became hooked on snowballs. Today, she loves to see the smiles on her customers’ faces as she hands over colorful-coated snowballs to help cool the scorching heat.
“There’s something about the way the flavored ice cools the lips and sooths the soul,” she said.
Over the years, Mom’s Also has created over 100 flavors, all of which are listed on the menu board.
“Have you ever licked the spoon of the cake batter pan after you have placed the mix in the oven to bake? Well, we have a flavor called ‘Cake Batter’ that tastes just like that,” she said. “Or have you been at a wedding and tasted the best piece of cake ever? Well, we have a flavor called the ‘Wedding Cake’ that is sure to take you back to that delicious piece of wedding cake.”
The three most-requested flavors this summer are for Strawberry Cheesecake – made with strawberry and cheesecake flavoring and condensed milk; Nectar Cream – made with orange nectar flavoring and Pet milk; and the Rainbow Coalition, which combines an ice cream, bubble gum and strawberry flavoring.
“Everybody loves cheesecake with strawberry and oranges,” she said. “And what kid do you know that doesn’t like ice cream and bubble gum?”
Carrere’s more unusual flavor requests are the Tom Jones, which has peach and coconut flavoring, and Pixie Sticks, which consists of lemon-lime and pina colada flavoring.
“These two are inspired by my customers a long time ago,” she explained. “They came up to the window and asked about the flavors. I was like, ‘What is that?’ They told me what was in it, and I have been making it ever since. People seem to like it.”
Carrere has a message for snowball consumers: “Don’t be shy when you come the window be creative, mix and match whatever your taste buds desire.”
Mom’s Also Snow N Go owner Brooke Carrere serves up a rainbow snowball to Taylor King, 11, of Houma. Carrere said the rainbow blend is this summer’s top seller among children.
