Ice Pops!

[Pyewacket]

I love ice pops! Since ice cream makes me feel uncomfortable (dairy) and messy I've decided that, for me, the perfect cold tasty treat is the ice pop. A single serving that can be eaten before the whole thing becomes a sloppy mess and refreshing flavors of fruit are just great.

So a couple weeks ago when I read Florence Fabricant's profile of four new pop joints in Manhattan (does she even venture out to other boroughs?) I was so excited that I rushed out to try as many as I could.

Since it was a Wednesday, I couldn't try la Newyorkinas pops, but did try People's Pops in Chealsea Market and Popbar.

People's Pops seemed to be having some trouble with their freezer because one of their display pops was melting off the stick, but the raspberry-mint pop I got was kind of yummy. Although it dropped pieces of red ice mix all over my white shirt immediately upon pulling it out of the wrapper , the flavor was nice, but the texture was grainy, and seedy. Whoa. I was picking seeds out of my teeth for hours.

PopBar, as FF stated is an Italian franchise. The pops are basically gelato on a stick with different coatings and sprinkles. It's nice, but the gelato had a texture I don't really care for-kind of like a jello background taste and texture. Not really pop like in my mind.

I went to Griff's but they weren't available yet.

My favorite ice pop joints are usually known as Paleterias and found in Hispanic neighborhoods. Though I can't remember their names, there are a couple in Westchester County-one in White Plains (great pops!) another in New Rochelle (OK but a little plastic tasting) and another somewhere else that I can't remember.

Any one else love ice pops and know of cool places to get them?