Looking for a Cheap, Fun Way to Stay Cool This Summer?
Looking for a Cheap, Fun Way to Stay Cool This Summer?
Then look no further than that all-American treat, the ice pop. Many refer to these cold delights by a trademarked name registered by a multi-national corporation, but we’ll stick to ice pops. They sell over two billion units per year, cherry is the number one flavor, and they were originally sold off the back of a truck by some guy in Nebraska. But those are just the facts. The real power behind ice pops is that they are cool, fun, and tasty.
The best day of my grammar school years was when two brothers somehow took over Maury’s Good Humor truck. They stood at the top of a hill overlooking the school playground and flung out cool treats to all the other kids for about a half hour. It was amazing and it goes to show to what lengths people will go to get their ice pops.
So many to choose from…
Now there are many brands in your local supermarket freezer and some of them are very good. You can get them with real fruit, with cream, or just flavored ice… and some are sugar free and quite good. On a hot summer night, if you happen to have a craving for munchies, there is no better route than the one that leads to the freezer and your supply of ice pops. In New York City, you can buy “paletas”(Spanish for ice pop) on the street or crushed ice with some sugary syrup drizzled on it. In fact, there are now a number of independent retailers in the city that sell gourmet ice pops.
I’m not going to rate the plethora of ice pops that are available because to me they are like pizza. They are all good because they are cheap, tasty and fun, but of course some are better than others. Up until recently I preferred the sugar free version of the Unilever owned brand, anything all natural and any from the various gourmet retailers in the city. And they now come in flavors like caramel moose prints and purple cow and you can even find some that come from sustainable sources. Folks, ice pops are part of our culture. But, even with all of these choices, I have found a new path to ice pop heaven.
Homemade ice pops are where it’s at
We (at least I do) eat so many ice pops that it made sense to invest in an ice pop maker. And I can tell you that the ZOKU ice pop maker really does the trick. You mix up your own concoctions, pour them into the frozen sleeves and in about nine minutes you’ve got some of the best tasting ice pops imaginable. You can even add on the chocolate dipper (comes separately) for some truly amazing pops.
So what’s this have to do with being a Guy’s Guy?
This is about knowing how to enjoy the simple pleasures. All of us are under pressure—some of it self-imposed to squeeze every drop out of our lives. And it’s great to be making things happen. But, it’s also important to shut down the machine now and then and kick back and smile. Hey, you’ve worked hard and you deserve an opportunity to enjoy life. This Guy’s Guy suggests that we all say thank you once a day for everything in our life, even the bad stuff. It’s there to teach us. So, the next time you kick back and take that first bite or lick on that sweet, cold ice pop, smile and remember that if you have the right perspective, life is made up of a series of simple pleasures for us to enjoy.Guy’s Guy of the Week – Frank Epperson, who invented the ice pop as an eleven-year old. What are your simple pleasures in life?
