Not cake, but ice.
Two weekends ago when I spent the afternoon judging for Hands On Atlanta, we all had a special treat. During the event, the King of Pops was on site selling his handcrafted popsicles. Usually he’s pushing his cute cart around the streets of Atlanta, but instead he was kicking it inside with us for the event. I was super-excited because I had already heard his story a few weeks before when a friend ran into him at the local farmer’s market. He was buying gobs of strawberries. So many, it prompted her to ask what the heck he was going to do with all of them. Then he handed her his card in the shape of a popsicle. Turns out he’s the King of Pops.
When she told me about meeting him, I decided I was going to track down his cart one day to try some of his icey pops. Luckily, that Saturday, all I had to do was turn around and there he was.
Say Hi. This is Steven. The King of Pops.
Follow him on Twitter if you’re in Atlanta and you can keep up with his flavors and where he’ll be next. He was also featured just yesterday on CNN. Check him out here.
I had the Blackberry Mojito – YUM – but I’m still hitting myself for not trying the Chocolate Sea Salt, too.
You know, I think the only kind I’ve ever made myself are the ones you buy at the grocery store. You know the flavored water kind in those long plastic tubes.
Yeah, those.
So, I decided I wanted to make my own handcrafted popsicles with real fruit.
I just used some paper candy cups I had on hand and wooden popsicle sticks to play with.
It’s really easy to make your own.
Pick a fruit. 2 cups strawberries in this case. Hull and half them.
Throw them in a food processor with 1 Tablespoon super fine sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Then blend it all together until completely smooth.
Pour and freeze.
These were layered with yogurt in between the strawberry. They were pretty tasty and the perfect size for me.
The recipe came from the book, Ice Pops which has tons more treats like these.
And because Steven can’t show up to everyone’s house with his cart filled with handcrafted popsicles, here’s a chance to win your own Quick Popsicle Maker for fast freezing fun…
…along with the book, too.
Enter for a chance to win:
Zoku Quick Popsicle Maker and Ice Pops book
Just leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite fruit flavor.
Deadline to enter is Tuesday, July, 6th at 5:00 pm ET. Sorry, Time’s Up! Winner Announced Below.
One winner will be chosen at random and announced sometime Tuesday evening.
P.S. Giveaway purchased and sponsored by me, but you can find the book and Zoku pop maker at Williams-Sonoma.
Good luck and stay cool!
And the winner is… #4035. Congrats Marta. You get the Ice Pops book and Zoku Pop Maker. Now you can make your own Raspberry Lime Pops.
Next… I had a treat in my inbox today. Statistician Don… you know Pioneer Woman’s Statistician Don? The numbers guy?
Well, his wife told him about the giveaway I was having and he took time out to pull together these numbers for me. Then I made a little bar chart for you guys from all his hard work. Check out your favorite fruits.
Thanks Don! You’re the sweetest.
raspberry! yum!
Mmmm, pineapple!
I seem to gravitate towards fruits that are difficult to find in my part of the world…mango, papaya, etc. The harder to find, the better.
Yummmmy!! I love love love Strawberry :)
favorite fruit flavor….mango!
My favorite fruit flavors for the summer are nectarine and watermelon!
I LOVEEEEEEEEEE BUT LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEE STRAWBERRIES an I also like lemon!
Strawberry! Yummmmm!!!
Mmm…always been a raspberry person.
I’m a sucker for blackberry, but blueberry and raspberry will also catch my fancy if available. However, take any of those and throw in a bit of lemon, and I’m in heaven!
I’m a strawberry girl.
What a cool giveaway!!!
I would have to go with either strawberry or raspberry. Tough choice. course, I think a smoothie frozen into a popsicle would be heavenly.
Such a tough choice! I love strawberry and pineapple, but then fresh blueberries. . .yum!
Orange!
I tell you, you inspire me to make things I wouldn’t normally think about. I just love your blog…
I like lemon flavored pops with strawberries or blueberries frozen into them!
My favorite has to be a mix of strawberry and pineapple
raspberry! Delish!
Raspberry… no, wait.. Lime! No… Lingonberry! No.. wait.. acai? I can’t choose. I have to go make a smoothie now. ;-)
Those look delicious.
Big fan of anything strawberry.
Strawberry. Ooh, then peach (but it has to be really ripe) or blackberry, maybe blueberry, or maybe orange, oh, for sure mango.
Favorite fruit flavor is….. I don’t know, anything citrusy? Oranges, lemons, limes, yum!
Raspberry Lime!!! YUM
Raspberry lemondae by far! My kids would love this!!!
strawberry lemonade!
Strawberry…
Mmmmmm! Strawberry mango or strawberry blackberry! YUM! Or strawberry pineapple. Apparently I like strawberry!
Raspberry ANYTHING!
Cherry! It goes so well with other things, too.
Strawberry!
Every time that I go into williams sonoma I drool over this thing :) I am in love!
I love doing some lemonade and fruit in my little cheepo plastic molds
My favourite fruit flavour: definitely strawberry. Or maybe kiwi. And I like peaches and cherries too! I just love fruit.
Thanks for this inspiring blog again!
Oh my! Tangerine would have to be my favorite at the moment!
COCONUT!
grapefruit! :)
Nothing is better than ICE POPS on a hot day !
Love watermelon/lime !! Layered
Watermelon! It refreshes me every time, especially in summer!
I love passion fruit! :)
MMMM Real Fruit Strawberry!! SOOO yummy!!! My fave!! I would LOVE to win this one!! Pick me PLEASE pick ME!!!
Ooops, my favorite fruit flavor- raspberry!
That’s so cool! My favorite flavor is strawberry. :)
Grape!
Wow! I need a King of Pops in my area! (Mpls/St Paul)
Apple and mango is a favourite of mine, although my kids love it when I make raspberry ones, then dip them in white choc (I prefer dark) and cover them in sprinkles….
oh raspberry with some chocolate thrown in. yummy!
I think strawberries are my favorite, but I pretty much love any fruit! What a fun giveaway…thanks!
Oh My Gosh, This looks AWESOME!!! I would so love to get this and make some for my family. We are always looking for a way to cool off in the constant Florida heat.
Thanks!
I love coconut or pineapple! We always made icecream when i was growing up, and I have continued that tradition with my children. I love a good pop, they are the most refreshing treat when the weather is hot outside. I need to make some, now!
Love anything with passionfruit.
masperle@austin.rr.com
Mango! those look so good I have to go make popsicles now!
I like strawberry frozen treats because I can make them myself and they’ll still taste good. However, I LOVE the artificial lime-flavored popsicles and would love to be able to replicate flavor!!
mango! and, boy, do they look delicious!
My 3 year old LOVES ice pops! And it was just his birthday yesterday (July 4th!!) he would be so excited if we won that!
strawberry and banana! Yummy!!!
Mmm…those look delicious! And they’re making me want to go make some right now.
My favorite flavors are strawberry lemonade and cherry limeade.
Thanks for the fun giveaway!
orange with vanilla ice cream…creamsicle
Layers of strawberry and lime, mmm!!!
Orange!
Cool refreshing watermelon :) mmm…or maybe watermelon with lime! yum!
Raspberry!
raspberry is my favorite fruit flavor…what a great pop!
Strawberry-lime!
I’m a sucker for anything with pineapple and coconut. Mmm, tropical popsicles!
mango or passion fruit or raspberry!
Make popsicles out of the homemade yogurt I already make! Didn’t even think of that! Great idea! My favorite flavor is mojito lime – give me a grown up popsicle!
plain old grape!
Of course, strawberry with balsamico … can die for it :)
Strawberry! Pick me. :)
I love raspberry! YUM!
Mine would be mango definitely!
mango, or maybe watermelon, or lemon… maybe all three layered!
Cherry…definitely cherry.
Pineapple!
Oh those sound so good! And so easy too! Very generous of you to offer this great blog candy!
How cool!! I LOVE the idea of making my own tasty frozen treats!! I don’t like buying popsicles…but love having them on hand!
Totally depends on my mood! But usually I go for some kind of strawberry flavour.
Black Raspberries are my favorite, especially for making jam. I would love to try them in a popcicle!
Oh man, all of those sounds awesome. I totally want to try the pineapple habanero.
It’s not a fruit, but I love coconut ice pops!
LYCHEE!!!!! It’s lychee season here in Hawaii…
My favourite fruit flavor is definitely blackberry! I love it in smoothies, ice cream, buckles, pie and most of all on its own.
My favorite fruit flavor is mango with mango chunks mixed in! but my favorite flavor of all time has to be rum raisin (Rompope in spanish) YUM!
Lemon, a tart icy treat.
blueberry! oh, and cantaloupe!
even together, maybe?
I’m always a sucker for a lime ice.
Orange but I’d take anything that is cold!!
I love me some STRAWBERRY!! Yummmmmm!
Raspberry hands down. :)
I want this!!! I have six little grandkids, and a lot of food allergies!!! I have to make almost everything from scratch. This is Texas, Summer time, and that spells popsicles!!! Pick me!!!
my favorite is strawberry. definitely going to try what you just posted up!
My favorite would have to be banana.
Oh yeah yum. Seriously yum.
Mango! Pineapple! Lemon! Yum, yum, yum!
:)
I love anything tangy and citrus-y, like lemons or limes or grapefruit!
I Love homemade Pop’s When we were kids we use to play Drive In and we would make all kinds of recipies up most were pretty nasty, but it was hard to mess up popsicles!
It really just depends on the day…watermelon, peach, orange…I could go on and on!
Cherry is what I always reach for…maybe I should be a little more adventurous :)
I love peach!
guava!
mmm strawberry all the way
Strawberry!
I would love the blackberry. wow what combinations!
Coconut! I would love to be able to make my kids a fresh alternative to ice cream… thanks for the idea :)
I’M CRAZY FOR COCONUT! :)
I want that sooo badly!!
Yummy, I woud love to win this, perfect for my 30th birthday this summer!! My favorite flavor is Strawberry!!
ooo lemon. I love the citrus
x
I’m a blueberry girl through and through. My Papaw would bring gallon plastic ice cream buckets full to us from Valdosta…they make they best blueberry pie, which Papaw usually made certain I had at least one in the summer. Mmmm and then there were blackberries…I love summer fruit!
strawberry for sure! which is funny, because i’m not a huge fan of strawberries…
Watermelon would make a great pop sicle.
Blackberry! These look great!
I’m torn between the melons… watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew.
Passion fruit! At the local zoo they sell tropical fruit pops and passion fruit is my fav so far :)
Pineapple and strawberry!
Wow. One of my goals for this summer is to make my own frozen pops. Thank you for the ideas.
Lime is one of my favorites! refreshing.
I would go for watermelon, mango OR coconut! I guess that’s three faves ;-)
Thank you for sponsoring this giveaway!
strawberry!!!!
My favorite flavor? I’m 9 months pregnant and my one absolute craving has been mango, mango, mango. Ever since day one. I’d probably do mango with a strawberry center. YUM!
It has got to be mango, there is nothing better than a mango Popsicle to beat the heat!
Right now I am loving peach!
Yum! Those pops look delicious! My favorite flavor is mango for sure!
Lime! Oh maybe mango cilantro lime Popsicle. Yeah, now I really need those.
Strawberry, blueberry or blackberry – but these unique flavors look so much more inviting!
I think kiwi-blackberry would be awesome!
the berry/yogurt ones look yummy too!! :)
love the fun of making Popsicles, second to cake pops of course…smiles to whom ever ends up with a Popsicle maker & book, if it’s me I’ll just scream…
Strawberry is my favorite!!
I just started making popsicles for my 1 year old- no sugar of course- last week! He would live off them if we let him!
my new favorite is kiwi! so perfect for our summer heat!
Hands down strawberry!
I LOVE raspberry. And my daughter SO wants to make popsicles. I would LOVE to win this!
I’m a huge fan of either strawberry or lime. Love ’em both equally.
Watermelon for sure! We still use the old ice cube trays to freeze fruit punch, though.
Coconut YUM!!!
Figs!!
Yum!
Strawberrrrryyy!
hmmmmm… I’d have to say probably a berry pop :)
Strawberry for me! =)
Strawberry…hands down!
This looks like so much fun! My little guy LOVES Popsicles! This would be fun to do with him this summer. :-)
I love strawberry banana!!
mmm….mango!!
i love cherries, or strawberry, or really any kind!! yum my kids would love this
MANGO!!!
mmm cotton candy flavored ice pops are my faveeee
Love. Love. Love Popsicles. Especially for breakfast on my way to work. People look at me odd but hey, I”m getting my 1-2 servings of fruit in.
Ornage, Strawberry, or Raspberry.. tough to choose!
Lemon. Or cherry.
I love passionfruit! Yum
Lemon!
Oh jummy! it’s hot here in the Netherlands…and my favorite strawberry/lemon
banana!!
my favorite fruit flavor is MANGO!
i love raspberries, also mango!
My favorite fruit flavors are mango and coconut! YUM.
I’ve been lusting after popsicle molds for the past two weeks!! This is great!
Gotta go with either banana or strawberry. Better yet a combo of the two. Yum!
We made popsicles as kids that had jello in them so they wouldn’t drip. My fav was orange but I would also love to
try raspberry.
pineapple!!!!!!!
Tangerine!!!!
Strawberry…or Dreamsicle!!!
My favorite is Banana!! Love it in every way!!
Cherry limeade. Just tried them with my girls. Terrific. This pop maker would be fabulous! I should take stock in ice pops of all kids this time of year. My kids eat them by the bucketfuls!:)
Blackberry! These look awesome!!
I would have to go with strawberry but it is very dependent on what you are making. I love almost all fruit flavors!
I’m a lover of Lemon and Strawberry. All those pops look like fun!
Raspberry! I’m really regretting not planting some in my garden this year.
Love making homemade popsicles and ice cream!! :) Raspberry Lime yum!
peach!
Lime has always been my favourite.
Peach! It’s just the epitome of summertime fruit to me, and then to put it in a Popsicle…yum!!!
I worked at a snowcone stand last summer (best job I’ve ever had!) and we had over 130 flavors. Me and my coworkers had a ball mixing up new concotions. My favorite was a mix of guava, passionfruit, pineapple, and blue raspberry. YUM!
My usual favorite is strawberry but I also often go for peach as well.
Raspberry. And I kind of love when a sno-cone stand has blue raspberry and then my lips and tongue turn blue and I feel like a kid again. =)
I’d have to say my favorite is strawberry or raspberry. Yum!
I love strawberry with lots of fresh chunks in it. YUM YUM YUM!
Strawberry and cherry are my favorites! But my kids like lime and lemon…
I like strawberry a whole lot. But, I had a fresh pineapple popsicle that was pretty awesome, too! I guess my favorite would be the pineapple.
Pineapple and coconut!
Either raspberry, orangesicle, or coffee flavored. I could eat a million of them, especially in hot, humid Texas! You’re makin’ me hungry!
Lemon! Oh, lemon custard popsicles would be fantastic!
Favorite fruit flavor….. I think Cherry! I love strawberries a lot but not as a popsicle. And I love raspberry as a popsicle but not as a fruit because of all the seeds. I love cherries for fruit, popsicles, pies… YAY CHERRY!
I love banana and I think a fresh banana popsicle (maybe with some coconut thrown in?) would be amazing – so would winning this prize!
Strawberry, but I’ll try any flavor!
Strawberry is the best! Penni
Oh Gosh those look soo good!! My Favorite flavor Banana!! Its soo refreshing and yummy!!
Orange, when it’s a creamsicle! Mmmm.
It’s pineapple for me!
Pomegranate! So good.
It’s like you can read my mind. I’ve been considering buying pop molds so that I can have blueberry yougert ones! yum!!
I adore anything to do with strawberries and coconut! So fab :)
That all looks sooooo good. Especially on an insanely hot day like today. My fave fruit flavour is pineapple but I’m not picky :)
A tie between strawberry and lime!
watermelon
Either strawberry or banana. Yum!! Thank you!
Definitely strawberry!!!
Yum Yum I’d love to win!!
Almost 2000 comments so my chances are pretty slim…but just in case…
my favorite flavor is chocolate anything! I love chocolate.
(someone told me eating enough beans will make you stop craving chocolate, but it is just not true!)
Cool! :)
I’ve also used empty plastic yoghurt pots!
Cherry Lime! So yummy. I would love to make some refreshing treats for my family this summer.
I might have to track him down next time we are in Atlanta! Thanks for the great giveaway!
I’m lucky to live where I can get LocoPops! and my favorite flavor is usually something with cherry!
strawberry or lime. maybe a mix of both. yum!
Mmmm, pineapple habanero and chocolate sea salt sound awesome! I’m intrigued! My favorite fruit flavor? Well, I was gonna say orange, but then I saw that someone above me mentioned watermelon, and I wasn’t even thinking about how much I love watermelon until I saw that comment, so I’m gonna go with watermelon. Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever said “watermelon” so many times in one sentence! =)