Have you ever wondered how the Popsicle was invented? It is hard to find a conclusive answer.
One legend is that back in 1905, a San Francisco Bay-area kid by the name of Frank Epperson accidentally invented the Popsicle. One evening he left a glass filled with water, powdered soda mix and a wooden stick. It was a chilly night, and the mixture froze. In the morning, Epperson was pleasantly surprised by his creation, named it the Epsicle and immediately started selling his invention to neighborhood friends.
In 1923, after finding success locally, Epperson decided to expand sales beyond his neighborhood and started selling them at Neptune Beach, a nearby amusement park. It was an immediate success. In one day, the park sold an estimated 8,000 Popsicles. The first Popsicles sold for just five cents and came in seven flavors. Soon after, Epperson applied for a patent and eventually his children urged him to change the ice pop’s name to what they called it: a Pop’s ‘Sicle, or Popsicle.
For all of you Popsicle fact checkers out there, this story may not add up. It did not get cold enough in San Francisco in 1905 to freeze water. Many popsicle historians believe that the birthplace of the frozen pop originated in Oakland. This is where Epperson patented his creation in 1923, and records show that there were 3 days in 1905 that dipped into freezing temperatures.
Popsicle Trivia:
- The #1 Popsicle flavor is cherry.
- Twin Popsicles were made during the Depression so two kids could each have one for a nickel.
- Popsicles were chosen as a symbol of American life by the Eighth Air Force Unit during World War II.
- National Cherry Popsicle Day is Aug. 26.
- Popsicles were originally marketed as “a frozen drink on a stick.”
- Popsicle sticks are made from Birch wood and are popular in their own right, often sold by the box for use in craft projects.
- More than two billion Popsicles are sold each year.
- A character named Popsicle Pete was introduced on the Buck Rogers Radio Show in 1939 and was featured in ads, commercials, and other items well into the 1990’s.
Granola Popsicles
Ingredients:
½ cup granola
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup plain yogurt
1 cup of raspberries
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
- Divide into 4-6 paper cups.
- Put a piece of plastic wrap over the cup. Insert stick.
- Freeze for 3-4 hours. Enjoy!
Green Apple Fro-Yo
Ingredients:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
Pinch of salt
Directions:
- Put all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Put the bowl in freezer.
- After 1 hour, use a fork to stir mixture. Repeat every half hour, until the mixture is frozen but still creamy, about 3 hours. Serve right away.
Cherry Sherbet
Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) bag frozen pitted cherries (2 cups)
½ cup plain yogurt
¼ cup almond butter
Directions:
- Put frozen cherries in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the cherries are well chopped.
- Add yogurt and almond butter and process until smooth.
- Serve right away.
Spinich-Ginger Slushie
Ingredients:
1 cup ice cubes
½ cup very cold water
1 orange peeled and sectioned, or 1 apple, quartered and cored
½ banana, peeled and sliced, preferably frozen
1 ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
2 teaspoons honey or pure maple syrup
2 cups of spinach leaves, rinsed well in cold water
Salt
Directions:
- Put all the ingredients in the blender.
- Blend on medium until smooth.
- Serve right away.
Apple Mint Granita
(The Italian word granite shares the same root as granular because the frozen desert has a grainy texture, like granulated sugar or slushy snow.)
Ingredients:
3 cups of apple juice or apple cider
¼ cup maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar
2 tablespoon fresh mint leaves finely chopped
Directions:
- Put the juice and maple syrup, honey, or sugar in the pan and mix until combined.
- Carefully put the pan in the freezer.
- Freeze for 1-2 hours. Serve, or cover and freeze in individual portions for up to 2 weeks.
Tip: Squeeze in a little lemon juice for extra flavor.
MORE DETAILS
Interested in free nutrition education classes with Ohio State University Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program? Contact Nancy Lyons at lyons.489@osu.edu or 937-205-5250.
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