Cool Treats For A Hot Day

During these dog days of August it's nice to fall back on a cool treat. Americans have grown up with ice pops (ice lollies to the Brits). There are also cones along with shakes and malteds to enjoy as well.


Ice pops came along in 190,. thanks to an careless eleven year old making a mixed soda drink on his front porch. By 1923 Popsicles were sold throughout the US and in seven fruit flavors. They were originally called Epsicles but Frank's kids called them Pop's sicles and the name stuck. Who didn't grow up with frozen treats? There was nothing like getting the Good Humor double flavored whammy stick or the red, white and blue rocket shaped bomb pop. Then there were the ones made at home. Nowadays the molds are cute and you can get every shape, from stars to sailboats. You can also take paper cups , insert a tongue depressor into the ice and make your own. Another fun treat was a slushies, half frozen ice that you can eat with a straw or a spoon. You only had to freeze these in half the time of a popsicle

Another fun at home treat were ice cream cones. You can still buy the original sugar or cake ones at your supermarket bt you can also now get waffle cones , waffle cone bowls or the chocolate dipped ones. The trick was stuffing enough ice cream into them without creating a mess. To make the cones extra special there were always sprinkles around,

American kids love malts and shakes. The best were and still are the homemade kind. There's nothing like fresh milk , syrup and ice cream (chocolate or vanilla)blended together to form a tasty dessert on a hot day or a great partner to a burger just off the grill. You could even now make a fruit smoothie kind of malt or shake by adding some bananas , blueberries or strawberries.

Be a kid again this August. Indulge in a sweet treat to cool down and satisfy your taste buds. It'll keep you refreshed during the worst heat waves.