Predicting Popsicle Trends for 2010
On my own blog last year, I wrote a short post regarding Darina Allen's popsicle predictions. Darina Allen owns and operates the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, and last summer she predicted that popsicles were going to rival cupcakes.
Even here in Seattle, I simultaneously noticed a popsicle trend. Every time I went to my local grocer in order to purchase a box of Dreyer's Fruit Bars, the freezer shelves were empty. The frozen food manager told me that Dreyer's couldn't keep up with the demand. He said that during the hot summer months, his customers really craved those fresh clean flavors found in the fruit-based popsicles.
With that, I went home and extracted my popsicle molds from storage. I tweaked Darina's popsicle recipe, substituting raspberry puree for strawberry puree. My homemade popsicles were an affordable all natural child friendly snack. I think the fruit-based popsicles were a better choice than a sugar-laden frosted cupcake made with refined flour.
Even though the mercury has yet to rise here in Seattle, I'm hopeful that we'll have a few popsicle-friendly days ahead. So, I'm looking to get some new molds and have been perusing this collection. The Tovolo Blue Rocket Pop Molds have received great customer reviews and look really cool.
Any thoughts on popsicle popularity for the summer of 2010? Will popsicles rival cupcakes? I think so. Featuring seasonal fruit purees, homemade popsicles are inexpensive, healthy, and easy to make!
Photo by Melissa A. Trainer
John Davies on June 20, 2010 at 08:59 PM
For the past few years I've been making my own freezer pops. I have the plastic sleeves and a heat sealer.
For the adults, I freeze ready mixed alcoholic drinks and for the kids I've frozen juices, peaches and cream, and strawberry purees They're much easier They're much neater for picnics or outdoor concerts.
I have to add water to get the alcohol based freezer pops to freeze, but no one has complained so far.
HopeSew on June 21, 2010 at 01:27 AM
When I used Jell-O or added unflavored gelatin to juice, it gave our ice pops a softer texture. They were less like ice cubes and more like store-bought pops.
Melissa Trainer on June 21, 2010 at 06:27 AM
HopeSew, Interesting idea on using gelatine to soften the texture...I might try that!
Melissa
todd brooks on June 21, 2010 at 07:50 AM
Food & Wine this month has a recipe for cucumber-lime with gin popsicles in which they use gelatin to soften up the texture:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cucumber-lime-pops-with-gin
Melissa Trainer on June 21, 2010 at 08:16 AM
Todd Brooks,
Thank you for that link. The Food and Wine recipe introduction mentions that the gelatine helps to prevent the popsicles from melting too quickly. I found the F and W link helpful because I checked the Knox gelatine website this morning and didn't find any recipes for popsicles containing gelatine...I'm going to hunt a little further....
Melissa A. Trainer
Nate Whilk on June 21, 2010 at 12:56 PM
Popsicles are great. But you can also just freeze grapes, orange segments, and banana chunks for natural treats.
Jason Kallini on June 21, 2010 at 03:32 PM
King of Pops, in Atlanta
A great little business getting fantastic reviews. It's a trend.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/king-of-pops-atlanta
JayJay on June 21, 2010 at 04:12 PM
This is an old recipe I grew up with so is sugar laden but a good springboard to create your own using less sugar and fruit purees.
1 package fruit flavored Jell-o
1 package kool-aid
2/3 cup hot water
2 cups cold water
1 cup sugar
In a large pouring pitcher mix together: Jell-o, Kool-Aid, sugar and hot water, until dissolved. Then add cold water. Pour into molds and freeze.
They not only soften them a bit but the do not drip, which is great for kids. I used the Dixie bathroom cups for molds and to release heated outside with hands and twisted gently.
JayJay on June 21, 2010 at 04:14 PM
Add to above... the Kool Aid is the unsweetened. This recipe has been around since before the invention of the sweetened packets.
Julie B. on June 21, 2010 at 09:56 PM
It's so sweet the way you think Seattle is going to have a summer this year. ;-)
Cameron on June 22, 2010 at 06:46 AM
Dole just came out with a fruit pop too, so stores shouldn't be running out anymore. my kids like this one, so basically that means i like this one. and all i can say is, i hope popsicles replace cupcakes for the sake of my waistline!