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Given the temperature these days, who would say a no to an ice lolly? These all-time childhood favourites ice lollies happened to be everyone’s summer delight. So do you how even these ice lollies came into existence? This kids favourite was also invented by a kid himself. It was in 1904 when 11 year old Frank Epperson, who lived in the San Francisco Bay Area was trying to make a soft drink by mixing soda mix but got distracted and left it outside without stirring on a cold winter night. Having accidentally left the soda water out in the snow, it got frozen and to everyone’s surprise the outcome was ice lolly. Epperson himself was shocked that the soda had frozen and as he tasted he found it pretty delicious. So in 1923 he patented the concept of ‘frozen ice on a stick’, naming it Epsicle. The patent showed the things that were required for an ice pop, which also included the recommendations on the best wood for the stick: wood-bass, birch and so on. Later when he sold the rights, Popsicle was born in New York City. He named it Epsicle as he mixed two words -icicle and his name.
This treat required bare minimum raw material and going by the record in early 1920s, it is said that around 8,000 Popsicles were sold in one day at Brooklyn’s Coney Island amusement park. Priced at five cents, it came in seven different flavours.
Frank Epperson with his granddaughter in 1973
Today ice lollies are called by different names in different countries like popsicles in Canada, U.S and New Zealand, ice pop or ice lolly in the UK and India and so on. Available in different flavours like Oranges and Lemons, Strawberries and Cream and Raspberry Mint and more, these lollies have undergone a transformation over the years.
Ice Gola recipe by Kunal Kapur
- Ice cubes – 2kg or as required
- Ice Cream sticks – 8
- Glass – 1 or as required
- Chat masala– to taste
- Aam Panna Syrup (makes 10 cups)
- Ripe mango , Cubed – 250gm
- Raw mango Cubed – 150gm
- Sugar – 200gm
- Black salt ) – 1 tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Roasted cumin crushed – 2 tsp
- Black pepper powder – ¾ tsp
Method
• Peel the mangoes and extract the pulp. Put the sliced and peeled raw mango, water, sugar, salt, and rock salt in a pan and bring it to boil.
• Once the mango has soften then take it out in a bowl and let it cool.
• then pour the mixture in a blender to make it a smooth puree.
• then take it out in a bowl and add roasted cumin powder and black pepper snd the syrup is ready.
• For making the chuksi break the ice with a rolling pin. Make sure the ice is coarsely crushed ice in a mixer grinder.
• Now add the crushed ice upto half the glass and press gently.
• Insert the ice cream stick in the middle, add top it with more crushed ice on top. me press it down very hard with your fingers.
• This will make the ice stick together. Take the ice lolly (gola) out of the glass by pulling the ice cream stick and pour the syrup of your choice.
For shikanji sprinkle some chaat masala on top of the syrup and serve.
