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.
Peaches!
mmmm, love strawberry… and raspberry… and lemon! Ha~ my boys would love this treat!
Pineapple, with chunks of fresh fruit in it! Or blueberry…I’m addicted to popsicles! Great giveaway, as usual!
I love a blend of pink grapefruit and strawberry. I would the decision of blends over to the grandkids. Who else knows the best flavor of popsicles than Kids?
Tamarind, melon, mango ,lemon, raspberry this looks so good i love to win
Strawberry but anything with sea salt is something I MUST try!!
Yummy! Those look amazing
Blackberry – definitely, blackberry. Unfortunately, I pay a premium because they don’t grow in Alaska. :(
Cranberry is my favorite these days (raspberry might make a comeback soon, though!)
watermelon! :) YUM
This is so much fun! Wish I could have been there!
I had the best Mango ice-pop at a market a few years ago.. Made from real fruit.It was sooo yummy. Like real fruit but creamy.. yummo!!
I can no longer smell Mango without thinking back to eating that ice-pop, in the crowded market, in the hot summer heat… Perfect!!
I keep meaning to go back there and see if they still sell them, Hopefully they do!!
Mango!! and peach too! Yummmm…….
Picking a favorite fruit is so hard! But I think I would have to go with strawberries. Whenever I see anything with strawberries in them I always want it. It doesn’t matter what kind of mood I’m in, it will always be the right mood for strawberries.
It’s got to be strawberry!
Yum! I love banana! There’s nothing better than banana, except for maybe lime. Or blueberry…or cherry. OK, my favorite is lemon, NO I take that back! It’s really strawberry, but blackberry is so good too!
strawberry, of course!!
I love Peach!!
I would have to say pineapple or mango! I would definitely have had the chocolate sea salt! Yummy!
STRAWBERRY!!
I’m a plain ole’ orange girl myself but, smoothy pops make me want to drool
I want mango!
because i love mangos.
What neat flavors!
I love raspberries! They are just coming into season here in Michigan… :)
Banana…always banana for me. This would be so much fun.
This looks so good and like a lot of fun!!!
Strawberry!
learned to love cantaloupe and melon flavors overseas
Mmm…I love the combination of fresh raspberry with a tart lime :-) Definitely a refreshing flavor for summertime!
I would love those! Lemon popsicles are the best!
Yummy fruit popsicles right when the berries here are super ripe.
My fave would be either lemon or strawberry. Yumm!
love the raspberries!
Aw, definitely raspberry… mmmm…
Strawberry watermelon is so my fav!
Coconut!
Cherry! :)
What a fun giveaway! And what a cute kind of pops, I think this would be fun to try to make homemade fancy popsicles!
Hmm, I would probably go with strawberry and banana, yum!
This summer I just can’t get over fresh blueberries, but I am getting my hopes up for those peaches that’ll be in season soon…
I love the Zoku!!! I’ve used one before and they are fantastic. They make your pops in under 10 minutes too!!!! OMG! I want to make a chocolate cake pop, I think that would be fun…but my favorite is with fresh blackberries!!!
Strawberry lover!
I would have to say strawberry or lemon. Strawberry is a favorite but lemon would be thirst quenching. LOL Actually we are just starting to figure some combinations for homemade ice pops BUT I am finding a hard time finding popsicle sticks that are food grade and not for crafts. Any good resources?
hmmmmm…any of the melons would rock. Though I do like a little Lemon/lime on occasion! :)
Hard to choose, but overall, I’d say lemon.
Those look SOOOO good! I think I’d make watermelon mint ones first!!
Your pops looked amazing! And the absolute perfect size!
I’m a hardcore mixed-berry fan, but this year mango is racing it’s way towards my top favorite chart.
Peach is my all time favorite!
My favourite fruit flavour would have to be mango, so good! :)
I love anything cherry flavoured :) I need to get this book! Just bought some moulds so this book is a fab recommendation. Thank you so much!
Strawberry and banana are my favorite fruit flavors.
Grape
i just picked fresh raspberries & have been dreaming up ideas for using them in fun ways. popsicles is PERFECT!! that book looks fabulous and would certainly add to my daydreaming :o)
The popsicle maker looks very cool! My favorite fruit flavor is strawberry. Thanks
Mango, for sure.
What a cool story!
Mango!
Very fitting story because my girls love the Popsicle truck that comes around our neighborhood.
Pineapple Cherry
Strawberry, with Lime in a close second!
Anything floral or herb-y! It gets so hot here in the summer, and those are so refreshing.
I’d buy a Popsicle from him any day! Even if it was one of the cheap sugar water ones on a plastic tube.
I can’t wait to try the recipe though. I think strawberry lemonade sounds great! Refreshing!
mmm….blueberry, strawberry, peach, watermelon..so many choices I can’t pick just one!
A mix of lemon and chocolate…with a hint of vanilla!!!!!! deffinate heaven!!!!
I would LOVE to trya coconut pineapple or kiwi and strawberry. YUMMY!
All of these look soo delicious!! Omg my son would love me to win this!!
Any berry!! Strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, raspberry… love ’em all. Yummy.
I love Popsicles so much because they remind me of summer – my favourite time of year. My mom used to make them using fruit juice and jello mix so they wouldn’t melt all over your hands. And for a real treat she even had those Popsicle makes with a little catch tray and a straw at the bottom so you could slurp up your melting Popsicle!! Yummm…summer.
Watermelon!!!
Lemon lime. It’s hard to find without buying flavors I hate (anything coconut, banana, and root beer). Safeway/Von’s used to have the best popsicles with the best lemon lime; sadly, they don’t make them anymore. :-(
I often make honeydew-lime popsicles with my students and they are always a big hit, though my personal favorite is orange-blueberry.
Strawberry or blueberry-lemon. Yum!
The ones you made look delicious!
Strawberry, definately! But I also can’t put down anything that’s frozen!
I’m a sour gal. Lemon for me! Thanks for the chance to win. I wish we had a King of Pop here in my hometown.
Blueberry is my all-time favorite fruit with raspberry a close second! I’m thinking a mixed-berry ice pop would be perfect!
Strawberry — always strawberry :)
Pineapple or is it… Watermelon. I would have to say both.
Popsicles… What could be better during the hot summer !
these look delicious in all flavors
my favorites favours are orange and strawberry n’ kiwi… :)
nice… easy fast pops maker..
Mmmmm… Popsicles. I’m a sucker for strawberry, but I also love the mixture in Green Machine by Naked Juice.
tough one… tropical mixes are tasty, so are sour ones. I have a sour tooth. i’d love love love to win this one!
I love raspberry…such intense flavor! The King of Pops…what a cool gig!
Oh no… I have too many. I LOVE strawberry, but I also love watermelon… and raspberry. Lemon is good, too. And cherry! And let’s not forget peach. Okay okay, I will go with the strawberry.
Strawberry chip. Chocolate just makes things taste even better!
Peaches are starting to come on in utah. They will make your mouth water. mmmmmmmmmm….peaches.
Pineapple or lime! Love popsicles in the hot summer weather!
YUUUUUUUUUUUM!!!!
i love mango! :)
Strawberries~! And…chocolate ~ :D
My favorite is honeydew meleon..that would make an awesome popsicle!
Lemon, but I also love raspberry!
YUUUUUUUUUUUM!!!!!!!!!!
strawberry!!
Wow! Popsicles! I love raspberry :)
strawberry! No, wait…raspberry! No…strawberry-raspberry. Yeah! Yum!
for pops strawberry is my favorite
Raspberry! Yumm. Or strawberry.
So good :)
My favorite is a tie between either raspberry or mango. Or what about the two TOGETHER! Yummm!
Yummy.. Mango pops are my favorite.. Even though the Strawberry Lemonade has caught my eye..
Coconut – I actually had to google that one . . . er, is a coconut a fruit? Yes; and it’s my fav :)
Strawberry, by a mile!
I love the idea of ice-pop makers, what a fun summer treat to be able to make. :)
Strawberry is still the favorite, but pomegranate is delicious. I’ve heard good things about coconut… which I would try with this popsicle-maker! :) Thanks Bakerella!
I love peaches & raspberries:)
Yummy! Cant wait to try these at home :)
Lemon! (And if rootbeer was a fruit, I’d pick that too, because I love rootbeer popsicles.)
If I can only pick one, I love anything citrus!!! Orange, lemon, lime ….you name it = yum!
I love peach! Yummy!
Strawberry!!!!
Or Chocolate….you can never go wrong with chocolate!
Cherry is still my favorite!
Lemon – Lime – Peppermint is the best!
It’s killing me that my comp won’t load the pictures on this post. Oh the suspense!
I LOVE peaches & can only imagine how good a Georgia peach pop would taste. Mmm.
Peach!
Raspberries!
and I’m eating some at this moment too ;)
mango!
i would have to say either peach or kiwi are my favs :) maybe i can mix them together in a Popsicle
I just saw the story on this guy this morning – so cool! I live about 3 hours from Atlanta, and I plan to hunt him down next time I’m in town!
My favorite flavor of any fruit is peach – I think a peach margarita pop sounds yummy!
Strawberry!
nomnomnom popsicles
My favorite fruit flavor is cantaloupe… I wonder if they make cantaloupe popsicles…
Pina Colada! :)
I love all kinds of popsicles but my favorite is definitly cherry!
strawberries!
Oooohhhh! This would be so much fun to do with my kids! I would love to make a strawberry kiwi kind.
Raspberry (with a little chocolate thrown in for good measure!). I would love to have tried the mandarin basil pop!
Mango because it’s so refreshing!
can’t go wrong with the classic strawberry popsicle…always a perfect summertime treat!
Wow, that book looks really inspiring! I love to make a creamy peach-coconut milk pop. Yummy.
MangoKiwi sounds delightful on a hot summer day,or strawberry lemonade. I have been looking at the pop maker for awhile, it would be awesome if I just got one! Please please please!
Tamarind…..yummy
Blueberry! …because my front yard is FULL of them and they will be ready to pick soon!
Mmmm, peach. (but now the King of Pops is making me reconsider. Raspberry Lime could be the new peach….)
Strawberry! I love making popsicles!
OMG!!! Today its 33 degrees celsius here in my part of Ontario, Canada (I think thats in the 90’s for you). Its so hot in my apartment, I’m letting the kids run around with spray bottles of water to try to keep cool.(yes in the apartment) Now all I can think about are ice cold frozen treats…….yummmmm. Favorite flavours…anything!!!!! Just let me at them!!!!!! (oh yes I’ll share with the kids too…really I will…..)
Strawberry!! Yummy!
these are perfect for the crazy heat wave nj is going through! im def trying those flavors out! it would be awesome to win!
Strawberry!
Favorite fruit flavor…got to be pineapple!!
This is such a great giveaway!! My favorite fruit flavor is probably strawberry/banana/raspberry. In a homemade smoothie. Yum!
Blackberry/raspberry. It’s a tie =)
i LOVE popsicles!
Honeydew is most definitely my fav!
Strawberry kiwi!
pineappley coconut, of course!
Mmmm popcicles! I absolutely LOVE homemade Strawberry-Lime popcicles!
strawberry! thanks for the inspiration for what to do with the kids today!
Cherry-pineapple is my favorite!
The Zocu is on my wish list. My favorite flavor is blood orange. I love the zingy citrus, yet still sweetness, yum!
Strawberry White Grape Peach – Fresh strawberries pureed with white grape peach juice = amazing yum!
I’m thinking that Pomegranate ice pops would be interesting to try.
Living in Texas, my kids would love me forever if I were to gift them with something like a customized popsicle! I’m going to Amazon that book RIGHT NOW!
banana. unabashedly so. I think it sprung from no one eating the banana ‘now n laters’ in my carpool group. somebody had to…I couldn’t let good candy go to waste! unless it is a black jelly bean. those I toss.
what a fun post! I would have been daydreaming about the chocolate sea salt popsicle as well.
mango or blueberry, it’s a tossup!
Strawberry-banana is the best! :)
My favorite is definitely strawberry! My mom and I have been looking at this pop maker in the Williams-Sonoma catalog for so long, and we would loooove to have one!!
Mango is my favorite :)
I would love to make mango lemonade pops!
I’m not picky, but I love love love a frozen coconut treat! Yum!
creamsicle :)
Hooray for summer and frozen fruit on a stick!!!!!
I adore fake banana flavor (think: popsicles from your youth and Laffy Taffy) – just love the stuff
necterine and strawaberry no question :)
these look AMAZING
Generally strawberry, but I’ve been on a pineapple kick lately.
Hope I win so I can be inspired to try a bunch of new flavors!!
nectarine! yum!!!
I heart strawberry!
mango strawberry :)
Oh my goodness! This would be perfect for my siblings to make during the summer! I love Pineapple/mango/cranberry together, but I’m sure Raspberry Lemon would be awesome to try as well! Haha!
P.S.-I LOVE your blog! So awesome and inspiring!!
Southern girl through and through…. has to be blackberry.
coconut is my absolute fave!!!
Mango!
Marionberry! X <– crossed fingers that I win ;)
My favourite fruits are strawberries and grapes <3 yummy!
Love the icepops you made, they look so super cute and tasty! :D
i love love love strawberry..and would love that book. i’ll have to look it up!:)
Definitely Strawberry!
That guy is awesome! not to mention pretty cute :P
these look so yummy yummy!! My favorite is watermelon!!
raspberry!
raspberry or cherry for me! I can’t wait to give these a try. Yummy!
My favorite fruit flavor is strawberry. I am a self-proclaimed Bubba (Gump) of strawberries. Haha
My favorite is orange and cream!
My favorite fruit is Strawberries, but grapes are close behind!
Maybe pineapple, or passionfruit – but definitely not watermelon…blurgh! xxx
Mango for sure. I used the Zoku at my friend’s house and it’s awesome. I’d love one!
Lychee!
Banana for me!
They look so nice and good i want to try them.
my favorite us blueberry and strawberry whit green te C: .
the flavors of the king of pops look so yummy
Love blueberry anything! YUM!
How did you NOT try all of his flavors, they all sound DELISH!
LOOOVE popsicles!!
coconut!
Definitely raspberry!! Yum!
strawberry lemonade
Pina Colada is my favorite fruit flavor!! That’s a fruit, right??? ;-)
I LOVE STRAWBERRY Anything!!!!! YUMM!
I love berries!! Raspberries with lemon. Fresh Strawberries alone. Raspberries and blackberries! Yum! That would be my choice! :)
Being pregnant in blistering Maryland summer heat, I am all about a good popsicle. I love pomegranate and lemon… oh yum… now I’ve got to go have some!!!
Lemon raspberry
Those look so delicious!! My favorite fruit flavor is peach!
Raspberry Lemonade Definately. I have never made popsicles before but I would love to try!
Strawberry!
Raspberry!!! ;P I recently bought a set from Avon because my mom made these for us as kids. Memorial Day weekend she made some for the grandkids. They finally after thirty plus years got brittle and broke away. I will keep the book but make sure Gran gets a popsicle set so our kids can have memories too.
Raspberry apricot! My two favorite fruits!
Strawberry. No matter what’s going on, strawberry Popsicles remind me of carefree summers at the beach.
i <3 popsicles!!!!
Wow I’ll definitely try this.
My favourite would be strawberry, but I love all fruits!