Trading Feed Sacks for Popsicles
By Chef Deb Traylor
Not everyone knows this yet, but in addition to all the other food-related areas we’re planning at Ginger and Baker, we’re hoping to have a Popsicle Window. On the southern side of the building, there’s a small window above the old grain scale where we’d like to install a freezer, add an awning and offer a rainbow of popsicle flavors. Yes, we won’t be weighing grain to fill feed sacks through that window anymore, we’ll be freezing up classic and crazy combinations of whatever’s in season; fruit, veggies, herbs, spices, booze, you name it.
The window will face an outdoor seating area and be open to bike traffic and passersby. It just sounded like something fun to do with that quirky space that fits the character of this wonderful old building.
Below are a couple of our go-to popsicle recipes and with watermelon and peach season (and summer!) just about winding up, we thought it might be a good time to pop a batch in the freezer.
Every summer I have a client that asks me to make a watermelon fruit salad with this intense ginger lime syrup. It’s so easy I’m embarrassed I get paid to make it. One year we had more left over than we had planned and she was going out of the country, so I pureed the salad and put it in ice pop molds in her freezer. Turns out she liked them better then the fruit salad! It’s a great way to use up extra watermelon, or one that has been sitting in the fridge a few days.
Ginger Lime Watermelon Popsicles
- 6 cups pureed watermelon, strain and reserve juice only
- 2 cups ginger lime syrup
- pinch of sea salt
Ginger Lime Syrup
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 cup (4-6 oz) fresh ginger, peeled & sliced into coins
- juice and zest of 4 limes
Bring water and sugar to boil, continue to simmer until sugar has dissolved. Add ginger, half of the lime zest and all the lime juice and return to a boil. Once it boils, remove from heat and let syrup steep for an hour or two. Strain and discard ginger. (Or reserve the ginger to make candied ginger – find recipes online.)
Combine the watermelon juice, ginger lime syrup, remaining lime zest and salt. Mix completely and taste for balance, the popsicles will taste sweeter as they freeze. I will usually add more lime juice because we like tart pops. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 8 hours or overnight.
Notes
- use any leftover ginger syrup to flavor tea, or pour over orange slices, or add to watermelon mint salad.
- extra popsicle mixture can be frozen in a container and then scraped to make a granite, or mix it with vodka and soda for a lovely cocktail.
Peaches & Cream Popsicles
- 1 pound fresh peaches (about 3), peeled and sliced
- 3-5 Tbsp. honey, to taste
- 2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt (full fat or 2%)
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 pound fresh peaches (about 3), peeled and sliced
Combine peaches and honey and let macerate for 30 minutes. Whisk together yogurt and lemon juice, then fold in peach/honey mixture and any juice.Freeze for 8 hours or overnight.
