Food Fact Friday: Popsicles

It is REALLY hot down here in Florida! What is a better summertime treat that a popsicle on a steaming hot day! Here is some interesting information on how the popsicle came to be...

Eleven year old Frank Epperson left a mixture of powdered soda and water out on his porch, one winter in 1905, which contained a stir stick. That night, temperatures in San Francisco reached a record low. When Frank woke up the next morning, he discovered that it had frozen to the stir stick, creating a fruit flavored ice treat, which he called the epsicle.

In 1923, 18 years after his discovery, Frank Epperson applied for a patent for his frozen confectionery, which he named the Epsicle Ice Pop. He later re-named it to Popsicle, allegedly at the instigation of his children. It was originally available in seven flavors and marketed as a "frozen drink on a stick".

Another Frosty Fact: Only the United States and Canada call these treats "Popsicles" (due to popularity of the brand). In other English speaking countries, a popsicle is often referred to as "Ice Pop" or "Ice Lolly".