Minty Melon Pops & A Nifty Storage Technique

Sure I could make ice pops all year round, but they're just not as satisfying as when it's hot outside and it's a race to eat them before they melt down your hand. Remember when you were a kid and your biggest problem in the summer was getting that last little bit of Popsicle off the stick? Biting one side and quickly flipping it over before the other half met it's end...

I'd like to think that my tastes have matured slightly from orangesicles and red,white and blue rocket flavors. Using fresh fruit is tasty and healthy to boot. I've made melon pops before, but this time I added some mint for double the freshness.

Minty Melon Pops

• A smallish melon. I used a honeydew hybrid, I swear it was called *"dewlicious"
• About 2 tablespoons of agave for extra oompf
• 4 sprigs of mint. 2 regular spearmint and 2 grapefruit mint
• A pinch of salt

Carve up the melon, and throw everything into a blender.

Puree it 'til smooth. Distribute into your molds. I had a little leftover so it became a mini smoothie for me while I cooked. So refreshing! I'm not a fan of melon as a fruit, too spongey or slimey, I'm not sure. But the flavor, is a whole different story. The melon pairs so nicely with the mint it's hard to tell where one flavor ends and the other begins. As for the mint addition, I honestly don't think I can taste a difference using half grapefruit mint, but the plant itself was pretty so I thought I'd have a go at it.

A Nifty Technique

Recently with all my pop making, I was trying to think of a way to get the pops out of the molds to make way for a different flavor, because who doesn't love a choice in dessert? What I've come up with is wax paper.

After the pops are completely frozen, get them out and wrap them in wax paper, then store in a freezer safe container. Because they're already frozen they won't stick to the paper. And the container is important because you don't want them to pick up freezer taste. Blech. Once they're stowed away your mold is ready for the next batch! This would also be a helpful method if you're entertaining lots of people hungry for ice pops.

* The chickens got the rinds and loved them. One of their favorite fruits to date!