The votes are rolling in for the Times-Picayune's inaugural sno-ball bracket and it's down to the final two: Sal's Sno-Ball Stand and Stop Jockin Snoballs.
These finalists were determined by you, our summer sweets samplers, tallied after thousands of votes through successive rounds of our bracket.
Below is a little background on the two finalists and our assessment of these stands. Voting in the poll closes Tuesday at noon.
Sal's Sno-Ball Stand (1823 Metairie Ave., Metairie)
Sal Talluto opened his sno-ball stand in 1960 after having a heart attack in 1958 and desired a change of pace for his health. Current owner Steven Bel explained that it started out of his house and, eventually, Talluto built the building where it stands now. The Talluto family sold the stand in 1991 to Bel, who started working at the stand picking up trash in 1978.
While the neighborhood around Sal's has changed, the business still remained the same. Bel and his team pride themselves on using old-school methods on every aspect of making the sno-ball game. From making the syrups with Domino sugar to the traditional way of ice storage.
Stop Jockin Snoballs (3600 Jumonville St.)
A look back at Stop Jockin's early days from before the barbershop opened and after the sno-ball stand was opened.
In what started as a barbershop, the family operation Stop Jockin continues to grow at its location in the nearly 25 years it has been in the 7th Ward. Stop Jockin Snoballs owner Rodney Davis' family started work on the building when it was a blighted property in the late 90s and first opened the barbershop. Then Davis opened his stand around a year before Hurricane Katrina hit.
After returning to full force in 2008, the Stop Jockin became a stronghold for the community. It prides itself on being a spot where people can reconnect with family and friends they have known for years. And the taste of the stand's products has remained the same.
Chelsea's take on Sal's
Sal's Sno-Ball Stand has a homey feel, which makes sense given its history. Walking up reminded me of going to grandma's house.
As quickly as I figured out what flavor I wanted, we could buy our sno-balls, with plenty of syrup poured through the ice like it was painting every particle.
I got the Joker flavor, which is a blend of raspberry, blackberry and grape. The fruit-forward taste of the syrup made it taste like a real treat I could enjoy, and I almost forgot how much I was sweating from the heat.
Sal's Sno-ball stand's flavors on shelves awaiting to be used for sno-balls.
Julia's take on Sal's
For a place that feels rooted in tradition, the sno-balls at Sal's also maintain an incredibly classic feel.
My dreamscicle sno-ball was piled high with soft, fluffy ice, and the cream syrup that topped it matched the light, airy vibe, giving the treat a sweet-but-not-too-sweet flavor.
To me, the most special part about this sno-ball was the ice, something I've grown relatively picky about as a life-long sno-ball enjoyer. Sal's stood out for me mainly because of just how fine the ice was in addition to its solid flavor options.
Chelsea's take on Stop Jockin
The happiness I got alone from having a gummy bear added to my tidal wave sno-ball was priceless. The citrusy syrup got a heavy pour on top of some good soft ice.
This 7th Ward sno-ball stand is where you can see all community members. It was great seeing multiple people, from families to cops, getting a sno-ball.
I will definitely be coming back to get some of those seafood nachos with my next sno-ball.
Julia's take on Stop Jockin
The community ties Stop Jockin prides itself on were clear as I waited in line for my sno-ball and chatted with customers who offered their recommendation on flavors and snacks.
I ultimately decided to go for the Tiger's blood flavor, and as I dug in, I found the sno-ball was loaded with flavored syrup, ensuring every bite was as sweet and delicious as the last.
When I got down to end of my cup, I was even more excited to find an orange gummy bear, that brought even more sweetness to an already great treat.
