Ice pop

An ice lollipop, referred to in the United States a popsicle or less commonly an ice pop, and in the United Kingdom as an ice lolly, is a frozen water-based dessert on a stick. It is made by freezing colored, flavored liquid (such as fruit juice) around a stick. Once the liquid freezes solid, the stick can be used as a handle to hold the ice lollipop.

Terminology

In the United States and Canada frozen ice on a stick generically referred to as a popsicle due to the early popularity of the Popsicle brand, and the word has become a genericized trademark to mean any ice lollipop, regardless of brand or format. In Ireland an ice lollipop is usually called a lolly ice (ice lolly in some regions). Ice block is used in parts of Australia and New Zealand, as well as icy pole, after a brand of the same name. The term freezer pop or freezie is used for a frozen dessert with no stick, packaged in round plastic sleeves, and in flat plastic sleeves (such as Otter Pops), and eaten by cutting off an end of the sleeve and pushing up the ice.

History

The first recorded ice lollipop was created in 1905 by 11-year-old Frank Epperson of San Francisco, who left a glass of soda water powder and water outside in his back porch with a wooden mixing stick in it. That night the temperature dropped below freezing, and when Epperson returned to the drink the next morning, he found that the soda water had frozen inside the glass, and that by running it under hot water, he was able to remove (and eat) the frozen soda water chunk using the stick as a handle.

The ice-lollipop was introduced to the public for the first time at an Oakland ball for firemen in 1922. In 1923, Epperson applied for a patent for "frozen ice on a stick" called the Epsicle ice lollipop, which he re-named the Popsicle, allegedly at the instigation of his children. A couple of years later, Epperson sold the rights to the brand name Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company in New York City.

Sticks

Ice lollipop sticks are usually made out of birch wood, sometimes containing hidden riddles written onto their sides.

Consumption

It is estimated that over one billion ice lollipops are consumed in the United States every year. Out of 30 flavors available, orange has typically been the favorite. However, Popsicle itself claims that its annual sales are over two billion and that its best selling flavor is cherry.

World record

On June 22, 2005, Snapple tried to beat the existing Guinness Book of World Records entry of a 1997 Dutch 21-foot ice lollipop by attempting to erect a 25-foot ice lollipop in New York City. The 17.5 tons of frozen juice that had been brought from Edison, New Jersey in a freezer truck melted faster than expected, dashing hopes of a new record. Spectators fled to higher ground as firefighters hosed away the kiwi-strawberry-flavored mess.

Dessert with no wooden stick

A pop (or freezepop/ice-pole or tip top) is a snack of frozen flavored sugar water, fruit juice or fruit purée in a plastic tube, either round or flat. Prominent brands include La Fiesta, Californian Snow, Otter Pops, Ice Tickles, Fla-Vor-Ice, Chilly Willy (after the cartoon penguin of the same name), Pop-ice, Foxy Pop, or (in the UK, Canada and France) Mr Freeze. Due to the ingredients generally being water and sugar with coloring and flavoring agents, they are said to temporarily discolor the tongue or (less commonly) the teeth. They are produced in a variety of fruit flavors. In Canada they are known almost exclusively as 'freezies'.

See also

Ice cream

Sorbet

Paleta — a Latin American ice lollipop usually made from fresh fruit

Pudding Pops

References

Category:Snack foods Category:Frozen desserts Category:Skewered foods Category:California culture Category:Cuisine of the Western United States Category:Cuisine of the San Francisco Bay Area