Surprise heat wave at the beginning of September? No problem — especially if you’ve got POPS Champagne popsicles on hand. You heard me: Champagne. Popsicles. Why bother with the glass when you can put your bubbly on a stick instead?
True, a POPS popsicle doesn’t pack quite the same punch a flute of the good stuff does — but each pop is still 37 percent champagne, which is the equivalent to about half a glass. By virtue of being popsicles, they’re also a little less caloric than both most boozy drinks and, say, an ice cream sandwich. Not that there isn’t a time and a place for an ice cream sandwich, but sometimes you just want something light and sparkling, rather than rich and creamy.
According to Glass of Bubbly, POPS were about 10 months in the making; creators James Rae and Harry Clark started working on the idea in September 2013. During a vacation in Spain, the two friends decided that there weren’t nearly enough innovative ways to consume alcohol out there — and by June 2014, their frozen Champagne treats had made their debut (why oh why didn't I find out about them sooner?). Said Rae to Trendhunter, “We wanted to create a product that will play on the contrast between a luxury expense, being Champagne, and the accessibility of a popsicle.” Not unlike Dominique Ansel’s sundae-in-a-can, POPS are the perfect combination of highbrow and lowbrow. Yum.
The bad news? You’ll have to go to London to get them. The good news, though, is that if you’re there already, POPS does same-day home and office delivery within Central London. London-based study abroad students? Here’s a mission for you: Acquire a POPS popsicle and report back to us on how it tastes. Inquiring minds want to know!
For those of us stuck stateside, though, at least boozy popsicles are pretty easy to make at home — and still enjoyable as long as the unseasonably warm weather keeps up. Here are a few Champagne-based recipes for you to try:
1. Strawberry Champagne Popsicles
Brown Sugar knows that there’s no better combination than Champagne and strawberries.
2. Raspberry Peach Champagne Popsicle
Beyond Frosting’s variation on the theme is like a frozen, boozy peach melba.
3. Blackberry Prosecco Popsicle
Bonus points if Endless Simmer’s creation turns your tongue purple.
