One spoonful can cool your whole body down and the variety of tastes are out of this world: As most Bermudians know, summer is not summer without snowballs.

They are substitutes at lunchtime, after-dinner treats or even a late-night snacks for people who can't bear the heat and want something other than ice cream.

Snowball stands can be found all around the Island, set up in people's yards, on roadsides or in shops in town.

June Hall has been selling her snowballs for eight years from a charming wooden shrimp-coloured booth located in her front yard in the heart of St.

David's.

With counter stools for her many customers and baked goods to boot, Mrs. Hall is known as "Aunt June'' to many, and has a reputation for having the best tasting homemade syrup.

"My son-in-law got me started because he kept telling me that I should open up a snowball stand,'' Mrs. Hall said.

She added: "I have been set up for nine years, every year I open on May 24 and close at the end of September and folks always call to see if I have opened yet.

"Years ago, you know how you feel the heat in the summer time, well my children wanted me to get a snowball machine, so I went to Gilbert Darrell and purchased one and later we opened up a little snowball stand.'' Mrs. Hall said she opened the stand in 1988 and her mother taught her to make her own syrup.

"She learned how to make the syrup because she worked in a little place called the Log Cabin in St. David's. They would sell snowballs and gingerbread and other home baked goodies.

"My mom learned how to make the syrup from the lady that ran the Log Cabin,'' Mrs. Hall said.

She added that when she learned how to make the syrup she improvised a bit and now she has her own style which everyone seems to like.

But she won't tell what makes her syrup taste so good. "When people ask me how I make my syrup I say `Honey, let me tell you it's an ancient Chinese secret.'' "We have pineapple, strawberry, lime, orange, grape, root beer and at the end of this month I will make another flavour called Blue Bird. All the kids love it.

"All the flavours are tested by my children before they are put out and if they don't like them they are not for sale.

"Kids like different flavours and they think the blue is just different from the others. I also make snowballs called beachcombers in which I add condensed milk to the ice.'' "I do this for the kids because it keeps them off the streets, we have a lot of kids in this neighbourhood.'' Mrs. Hall also said she sells 50 cent snowballs for the kids that don't have a lot of money.

"I really get a lot of pleasure knowing that people enjoy what I do, and I also make fudge, Rice Krispie treats, and ginger coconut cakes.'' During the summer Mrs. Hall also has a slew of summer day camp kids and before school closes the nursery kids also visit.

"It make me happy to know that the kids really like it. I get customers from as far as Somerset that come all the way down here to get one of my snowballs,'' Mrs. Hall said.

Hall's Snowballs is open on Sundays, Tuesday and Thursdays.

Patricia and Larry Ingham are the owners of the popular Snowy's, considered to have the world's fluffiest snowballs.

They have been in the business for five years.

"Snowballs are inexpensive and refreshing and ours are popular because of the texture of the ice and our 24 flavours which range from strawberry and pineapple to the tropical flavours like mango, pina-colada, kiwi, sour apple,'' Mrs. Ingham said.

She added the children like flavours like blue and pink bubble gum, it seems that the more blue their lips can be the more they like it. They also enjoy the cotton candy and the round-the-world is also very popular with the adults.

"We have people come in to our Princess Street shop at lunchtime, late afternoon, late night. We can also be found at boat races, Harbour Nights and at Cup Match,'' Mrs. Ingham said.

Willie Clemons calls himself an ambassador because while standing under an umbrella with his snowballs and sea shells for sale he also in a perfect location to attract visitors who are lost, want to know where the best beaches are, or just want to try one of his snowballs which he calls BBB's -- the Best Balls in Bermie.

"I have had my stand for 12 years. I started out in Bailey's Bay, moved to Palmetto Road and now I'm here at the Middle Road/South Shore junction.

"I am an ambassador, tourists will stop at my stand to find out things and sometimes they'll have a snowball. They get Bermuda hospitality,'' Mr. Clemons said.

He credits the popularity of his snowballs to his personality and the fact that he makes his own syrup.

"I just started making my own syrup this year because the price of syrup keeps going up. My prices stay the same and have done so since I opened.'' Asked how many more years he intends to keep up the business Mr. Clemons replied: "I'll keep selling snowballs until the day they put me in my coffin.'' "When I started there were not many people making snowballs it's not just a job it's a business and it's good to get your children involved because they learn things,'' he says as he looks at his daughter with her head on a shaded picnic table sound asleep. "It help her with her math.''