Cool off with an Ice Pop!
Child enjoying an ice pop
Credit: © Shutterstock
The dog days of summer are near. That doesn’t mean that people play with puppies all day. The dog days of summer are much more ruff than that! They are the hottest days of the year. And, one of the best ways to cool off during the dog days of summer is to enjoy an ice pop!
An ice pop is a sweet frozen treat. The word Popsicle is a trademark for a popular brand of ice pop. Ice pops are often fruit flavored. Some ice pops contain chocolate or milk, resulting in a creamy texture. Popsicles and many other ice pops are made with a stick for holding. Ice pop-like treats are enjoyed in many different places under many different names.
The Popsicle was invented in 1905. An 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson left a mixture of water and powdered soda flavoring on his porch overnight. The mixture chilled, producing a frozen, sugary treat. Epperson called the treat an Epsicle, combining his name with the word icicle. The name later changed to Popsicle. In 1924, Epperson applied for a patent. A patent is a document granting an inventor exclusive rights to an invention for a limited time. The next year, Epperson sold the rights to the Popsicle to the food distributor Joe Lowe Co. The Popsicle became a major success during the Great Depression, a worldwide economic slump of the 1930’s. At that time, a five-cent version with two sticks enabled people to share an inexpensive treat.
Ice treats are popular all over the world. People in the Philippines make an ice candy of fresh fruit and milk. In Italy, people enjoy a freezer pop with fruit juice marketed under the trade name Polaretti. The paleta is popular in Mexico. The paleta is an ice pop made with fresh fruit. It does not have as much added sugar as other ice pops.
Ice pops are sold at such places as grocery stores, sporting events, and festivals or fairs. But a particularly fun way to enjoy an ice pop is to make one yourself. It’s a great way to beat the summer heat and have a little fun!
