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Posted: Aug 5th 2008 11:30AM by Kristen Seymour
Filed under: Food and Nutrition
When the weather is hot (and in many places, it certainly still is), a popsicle from the freezer can seem like a fabulous treat. However, they don't offer much in the way of nutrition, and they can pack a lot of sugar into just a few bites.
If you're a pickle lover, there's another option -- Bob's Pickle Pops, which can be eaten frozen or unfrozen. It's basically pickle juice in a pouch, and, if you love pickles, that probably sounds just fabulous. If you don't, I'm sure it sounds like the worst idea ever.
These Pickle Pops have been deemed by the USDA to not be a food of minimal nutritional value, which means they have been approved for school lunches. You can order 20 Pickle Pops for $19.95, and if you're so inclined, you can grab up a couple of bottles of Tex's Pickle Juice while you're at it. |
July 29, 2008...5:54 pm
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You know how there was always that weird kid that drank the pickle juice? Maybe it was you, maybe it was me, I don’t know (I was homeschooled, OKAY?!). But God knows I love pickles. Probably as much as pregnant women. No, I’m not prego.
So here’s a theory: if you take something you really love, and turn it into something else you really love, like a popsicle, it’s sure to be a success right? I mean, the beer pops sure are. So watch out eager world, here comes the treat we’ve been waiting for–Bob’s Pickle Pops. Gut reaction? Bleh. That’s right, frozen pickle juice that comes in packaging like pop-ice (the pesky little plastic ones that are so freaking hard to open). Imagine having pickle pops thrown into a cooler of pop-ices. “Oooh! Oooh! I want the green one!” Seconds later, gagging and vomiting ensue. Check out the Web site for the frozen pickle juice–it’s quite tacky and entertaining. Mal, the font on the Web site might beat out Comic Sans for the worst font of all time. Plus, I think it was once the font for my AIM when I was like 13.
And here’s something kind of funny. These were originally named Pickle Sickles (GROSS), and the mascot (is that what you would call it? Animated spokesman?) was named Pickle Sickle Tex. Now, my selective dyslexia (essentially, I read what I want to read) read that as Pickle Tickle Sex. Hmm. Interesting. I have a sick mind, get over it. And don’t act like you weren’t thinking the same things.
If you try these pickle treats, which are currently being promoted at public schools everywhere, let me know. Because the weird kid that drinks pickle juice that is still in there deep down is dying to know.
[Posted by Kathleen]
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10:00 PM CDT on Wednesday, July 16, 2008
By QUITA CULPEPPER
KVUE News
This summer we're taking a look at products that help you have fun in the sun and beat the heat -- this week’s product originates in South Central Texas. Popsicles are a great way to beat the stifling heat, but how would your taste buds react to a frozen treat made out of pickle juice? Say hello to Bob's Pickle Pops! This bizarre taste sensation started in Seguin, and at just 5 calories and no sugar, the frozen pickle juice is said to be a healthy treat. We took these mouth puckering pops to the Austin Nature Center camp, where the kids were eager to help us do a taste test. We didn't tell the kids what flavor they'd be testing out. Let's see how our green pickle sickles go over with this crowd. Judging from their reactions you either love them, or you don’t. This thing packs a sour blast of icy-cold dill pickle juice -- and to my surprise, it wasn’t bad at all! In fact I kind of liked it! In the end, it all comes down to what your taste buds like. It was a split decision on Bob’s Pickle Pops -- thumbs up AND thumbs down. |
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June 20, 2008
There is always something magical when a great idea takes off. I recently heard about Bob’s PicklePops. These are frozen popcycles made out of, yes, pickle juice! From their web site … “This is one of those crazy ideas that should have died a quick and horrible death from the beginning, right? But it didn’t. As a matter of fact, it is an idea that just won’t die.”
Bob’s PicklePops is a case study on the DNA of a great idea.
- Start with an inspiration - even if it is accidental.
- Be TRULY different.
- Get your product in the hands of a viral market.
- Own the channel(s).
- Get some media coverage.
- Get behind a cause
Most of all, stay true to the original simple ideas - and don’t ever take yourself too seriously! |
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June 15, 2008 at 11:50 am by Gwen
On hot summer days, and especially on the weekends, my inner child delights in frozen fruit pops, or freezees. Cool, nutritious and fun… they’re a perfect hot weather treat, especially now that I no longer get to eat large bowls of vanilla ice cream, a perennial favorite
It’s ridiculously easy to mix a combination of fresh and/or canned fruits, spoon the stuff into little paper cups (adorned with Popsicle sticks) and pop them in the freezer. You can get pretty fancy, though. For instance, I found a recipe (click here) for three-layer freezees, with a different fruit base for each stripe.
In the June issue of Body and Soul magazine, I discovered fruit pop recipes that call for grownup seasonings, too, such as honeydew/basil and mango/parsley. And if these tastes sound tempting, you might want to consider an ice pop made of… frozen pickle juice.
I’m not joking.
A Texas company called Pickle Sickle (oops - they changed their name to Pickle Pops) markets a frozen pickle pop. You can buy them on the internet: they’ll ship a box of 16 unfrozen 2-ounce pops that you just put in the freezer. (The packets have a shelf life of six months.) I guess Texans know a thing or two about staying cool.
According to a Washington Post article (click here) from March 12 (how did I miss this one?), the pickle pops are selling at a rate of about 20,000 a month. A Pickle Pop, in case you’re wondering, has three calories.
The entrepreneur who founded the company says he got the idea from his daughter-in-law, who reportedly ate the stuff as a child at church camp where counselors put pickle juice in ice cube trays with toothpicks.
That actually sounds like a good idea. Too bad I don’t like pickles.
Here’s the batch of freezees we made this weekend, combining strawberries, crushed pineapple, a banana and half cup of non-fat yogurt—utterly delicious. Next time, for a change of pace, I want to try honeydew-basil. Doesn’t that sound, um, cool?
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My good friend Kelly did a very bad thing and forwarded me a link to a product she thought I might like. OMG. I have a new food obsession. Introducing — The PickleSickle! (Otherwise known as “Bob’s Pickle Pops”) Holy crap these things are good. I immediately ordered a case of them, and seriously - Delaney and I ate them all in 2 days. So, staying true to my newfound frugality, I attempted to make them myself at home. A couple of foiled attempts, and I came up with a reasonably good recipe. And then I said “screw it” and ordered another case.
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You might remember my previous blog entry Finally! Commercially Available Frozen Pickle Juice! from April. I did indeed buy a box of Bob’s Pickle Pops to try. They were kind of pricey but shipping was free & prompt. I see on their website that they are offering new sizes and variety packs (it also comes in spicy) and will soon have pickle juice by the bottle.
For the record, I got a box with the old “Pickle Sickle” packaging, Bob had to change the name because Big Popsicle objected to him calling them a sickle.
The ingredients were fairly straightforward, same things that are in a pickle, I’d guess. I’m too lazy to get up and check.
Only 3 calories per serving! The average woman could eat over 500 of these a day and not gain weight! Well, except for the water retention caused by ingesting over 5000% of her daily recommended amount of sodium.
And the taste? Exactly like frozen pickle juice. I guess if you like frozen pickle juice, this is the treat for you. I did not care for it, but my five year old loves them. The problem, as I see it, is you get all the pickle flavor out first, because it thaws faster, then you are left with well, ice that tastes like water that somebody dropped a pickle in. Water with a hint of pickle will never catch on like water with lemon, which is a shame, because when I waited tables back in the day they were always harping on us about how expensive lemons were. Remember that next time you order your water with a TON of lemons and then try to make lemonade with that and the packets of sweetener: some poor waitress got a lecture about saving lemons when she went back to get you your big bowl of lemon wedges, Cheapy McCheapskatespants.
What snack foods do you like? Talk about it in our forums!
Stumble It!
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 Flashback to fouth grade. A bunch of us were hanging out at a friend's house after school. Naturally, there was a snack opportunity. We scrounged all the kosher dills from the jar -- then divvied up the juice for a quick shot of vinegary-salty elixir. It was only a matter of time before this stuff took root. (OK, maybe it's been almost 30 years...) but it seems Bob's PicklePops pickle juice treats are growing in popularity. They are frozen treats made, not from just the brine left over from pickling, but from freshly squeezed pickles, much like an apple or orange is pressed. (Next hot wedding gift: a pickle press.)
The USDA was so intrigued by the distinctive frozen "vegetable" product they granted Bob’s Pickle Pops their blessings to distribute them to the schools across the country.
“We use 100% of the pickle,” says Bob's Pickle Pops Co-FounderDavid Millar. “We realize it is hard to imagine that someonethought of the idea of creating a frozen treat made from picklejuice,” he says. “But once people try them they are hooked – andwe are happy to supply them with this refreshing treat.”
The product was created by John Howard owner of Outerskateroller skating rink and arcade in Seguin, Texas. He has been freezing pickle juice for the kids and adults and sells out every night. Surprised by the sales, he decided there was a market worth investigating. The company is also creating flavored offerings such as Spicy Pickle Pops that are proving to be popular.
But it isn’t just to quench the craving, it is to provide the heretofore little-known health benefits Health Benefits: A recent study (the release doesn't tell us who did the study, we'll keep looking for more info) revealed that pickles blunted the blood-sugar spike by as much as 30 percent after a high-carb meal. Studies revealed that vinegar, much like that used in the pickling process, provided a balancing benefit to combat harmful insulin spikes. The spices used in the pickling process are also healthy. Pickling ingredients like garlic and dill help to control the growth of unhealthy bacteria in the body. And many other spices involved in the pickling have been known to have wide-ranging health properties as well.
Bob's Pickle Pops have no fat and have lessthan 1 gram of sugar.
Bob’s Pickle Pops are available in packages of 20, 40, 60, 80 and 120. They range in price from $19.95 to $60 including shipping. The 120 count sells box for $60. Pops are all pre-packed in poly bags of 10.
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Thursday, May 22, 2008
Pickle Popsicles
Has the world gone mad?
Don't get me wrong; I like a good dill pickle just as much as the next guy or gal. But pretty much the last thing I would think about pouring in a mold to freeze as a Popsicle is pickle juice! That's right folks, there's a new product on the market called Pickle Pops and they are frozen pickle juice treats. Sort of "frozen dairy aisle meets deli counter."
According to the company that makes them, Pickle Pops are made not from just the brine left over from pickling, but from freshly squeezed pickles, much like an apple or orange is pressed.
"Once people try them they are hooked!" notes the company in a recent press release. Pickle Pops arose from good old-fashioned American ingenuity. Texas roller skate rink owner John Howard started freezing pickle juice for the kids and adults and was selling out every night. And that's how Pickle Pops were born.
The company also touts some possible health benefits to their pickle juice pops including information on a recent study that suggested pickles blunted the blood sugar spike by as much as 30% after a high carb meal. I remember seeing another study or two similar to this using vinegar. It was hard to imagine drinking vinegar on purpose, but eating a pickle or slurping down some pickle juice? Now that might be more manageable for some people.
NOTE: Pickle Pops have no fat and have less than 1 gram of sugar.
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Submitted by editorkevin on 22 May 2008 - 11:35am.
I have a love-hate relationship with pickles. Rachel loves them. I can tolerate them. I sometimes even like a crispy pickle slice on a sandwich. But there's something about just eating a pickle plain, by itself, that is unappealing to me.
Amish homemakers are legendary for their pickles. Cucumbers are a staple in most Amish gardens, so what does one do with an excess of cukes? Make pickles! Freezer pickles, butter chip pickles, dill pickles, all of these are commonplace in Amish kitchens. There is an undeniable freshness in taste to these homemade pickles.
But when I got this press release today about Bob's Pickle Pops my first reaction is/was ewwww, gross!! I mean l like a nice frozen, sugar strawberry popsicle on a hot day, but a pickle pop???? Has ANYONE tried one of these?? Apparently some schools now serve them, have any of your kids tried these??? I'd love to hear how they liked them. I might have to order a box for Rachel and for Lovina and see how both of these pickle connisseurs like them. Gee, they even have a 120 count box. Um...if anyone has tried these, or tries them before I do, let us know how they taste. Otherwise I will be reporting back soon!
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Well, this is the Mrs. Lil Green Pickle. Since it IS the middle of International Pickle Week, I have to post what I had merely emailed, so it stays in the blog of all that's pickly...
A la carte: All in a pickle over frozen sour pops
By Aleta Watson
Mercury News
Article Launched: 05/14/2008 01:33:45 AM PDT
Did you know that International Pickle Week starts Friday?
Of course, there are weeks devoted to just about anything you can imagine, but this one is the perfect excuse to write about one of the oddest food items ever to arrive in the Food and Wine department's mailboxes. We're talking Bob's Pickle Pops, ice pops made with - believe it or not - sour pickle juice.
Thank the Internet for making these chilly, mouth-puckering treats a national curiosity. Created at a South Texas roller skating rink last year, they've spread across the Lone Star State, and are now available to pickle fanatics everywhere through www.bobspicklepops.com.
John Howard began making the pops by freezing leftover juice from pickles he sold at his rink and arcade in Seguin, Texas. They proved so popular that he began squeezing whole dills in a hydraulic press to make more juice. Then he got out of the skating business altogether to sell his pickle-sicles full time.
Now, I like pickles well enough. I always eat the dill spear that comes with sandwiches in the company cafeteria. But pure dill pickle juice is more vinegar and spice than I can handle. I couldn't find any takers, either, until I wandered into the newspaper's library the other day. There I ran into a true pickle addict who happily took the pops off my hands. I last saw her slurping away on a pale green stick of ice.
It just goes to show, one person's culinary oddity is another's cherished treat.
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And from the listed website, I found other links:
http://www.duncanwells.ca/pickle.htm (pickle song)
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I remember as a kid, going out to Long Island (we lived in Queens at the time), and going to this place called Shopper's Village. It was like an inside flea market, aisles full of all sorts of vendors. One of the my favorite things when we went was to get a large pickle from the pickle stand. They had big barrels of all sorts of pickles and they were the best I ever had! Years later Shopper's Village closed down and became the Liquidators and I haven't had a pickle like that since.
But bringing back that great pickle flavor are Bob's Pickle Pops. These indiviual packaged pickle juice is full of a tart, vinegar flavor...just pop them in the freezer, and you'll have a great frozen treat. What will they think of next?!
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Tuesday, March 18. 2008
In the blistering heat of the summer, what delicious snack can you think of to battle the heat? Popsicles? Ice Cream? Frozen Pickle Juice? Yikes, I'm not sure who the first brave soul to try this was but it turned out to be such a hit that it's now a product called Bob's Pickle Pops. Just picture those delightful otter pops but instead of sweet, frozen goodnes, it tastes like pickles. If I find some for sale around here I'll definitely try one but I'm not really going out of my way.
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Found at trendcentral's article of the day:
"With schools and parents across the country taking small steps to combat the obesity epidemic among our nation's youth, Bob's Pickle Pops have emerged as a healthy alternative to sugary frozen pops. They are exactly what you think they are: frozen pickle juice and you may be surprised to learn they're a Texas favorite."
Without a nutrition label in front of me, the sodium content concerns me, but what doesn't concern me most days than not. So who cares. I'd like to try one of these pickle-sicles just to say I did.
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it's pickly and it's cold...
Maybe the title of this post seems slightly questionable, but it's an actual quote taken from the Bob's Pickle Pops website. What is a Pickle Pop you ask? It's basically frozen pickle juice. That's right, frozen pickle juice. And supposedly it's tasty. Or something like that. I'm not much of a popsicle fan myself, so I'm thinking that this isn't something I'll be trying anytime soon. But they have a cute mascot, and there's a catchy song you can listen to. So, I guess, here's to Pickle Pops!
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while i was supposed to be attending classes in lubbock at texas tech, my pledge-brother, lets call him “cole”, introduced to me one of my personal favorite treats, lemon chill. lemon chill was the best thing in college because, as it is, i often found myself very hungry for some strange reason and we always had freezers full of this lite lemon treat, care of “cole’s” father - the man behind lemon chill! now he has a new product and I’m just as excited as i was when i would look into the freezer and find that sweet acidic treat, but now he’s got a brand new bag. ladies & gentleman………the pickle sickle
just add vodka…
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Product Watch: The good, the bad, and the yucky
We try out ... uh ... interesting foods so you don't have to
By REBEKAH DENN
P-I RESTAURANT CRITIC
Last updated April 15, 2008 5:17 p.m. PT
Welcome back to the P-I's product reviews, an occasional feature for which we taste new or noteworthy foods to share the hits and spare you the misses.
The food industry continues its efforts -- some successful, some not -- to translate modern buzzwords into tasty treats. There's some whole wheat in your snacks, reduced calories in your all-natural juice, less salt in your ramen, and more USDA organic labels than you can shake a carrot stick at.
We try products from industry giants as well as items from local operations you might not otherwise notice. If there's a product you've debated buying and you want our opinion, write rebekahdenn@seattlepi.com and we'll consider testing it.
Pickle Sickle ($17.95 for 16 pops)
This is not a hoax. The Pickle Sickle, made from the juice of pressed pickles, is indeed the brine equivalent of a Popsicle, created by a Texas roller-rink owner who served them up to refresh customers. The pops are available at picklesickle.com. "Gak!" coughed our first tester. The second, who sampled the jalapeño variety, also gave a thumbs-down, ruling that pickles just aren't the same when the crunch is frozen.
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Can a pickle muscle in to Popsicle territory?
I just came across Bob's Pickle Pops, a frozen pickle juice treat that promises great taste and some wonderful health benefits as well. The company is also catering to the cravings of expectant mothers with this unique sour snack. But it isn’t just to quench the craving, it is to provide the heretofore little-known health benefits of pickle juice for anyone from kids to pregnant women to diabetics.
It’s an increasingly popular novelty snack treat that may sound a bit hard to swallow. But Bob's Pickle Pops pickle juice treats are growing in popularity nationally and providing unexpected health benefits for kids, adults and seniors alike. They are uniquely packaged frozen treats made, not from just the brine left over from pickling, but from freshly squeezed pickles, much like an apple or orange is pressed.
“We use 100 percent of the pickle,” says Bob's Pickle Pops co-founder David Millar. “We realize it is hard to imagine that someone thought of the idea of creating a frozen treat made from pickle juice,” he says. “But once people try them they are hooked – and we are happy to supply them with this refreshing treat.”
The product was created by John Howard owner of Outerskate roller skating rink and arcade in Seguin, Texas. He has been freezing pickle juice for the kids and adults and sells out every night. Surprised by the sales, he decided there was a market worth investigating. The company is also creating flavored offerings such as Spicy Pickle Pops that are proving to be very popular.
Health Benefits
A recent study revealed that pickles blunted the blood-sugar spike by as much as 30 precent after a high-carb meal. Studies revealed that vinegar, much like that used in the pickling process, provided a balancing benefit to combat harmful insulin spikes. The spices used in the pickling process are also healthy. Pickling ingredients like garlic and dill help to control the growth of unhealthy bacteria in the body. And many other spices involved in the pickling have been known to have wide-ranging health properties as well. Bob's Pickle Pops have no fat and have less than 1 gram of sugar.
Bob's Pickle Pops come in packages of 16 and sell for $17.95 including shipping on the internet.
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Finally! Commercially Available Frozen Pickle Juice!
No longer will I have to slave in the kitchen to make my own, Bob’s Pickle Pops are here! According to the website, they are a healthy alternative to sugary frozen treats and they even come in hot pepper pickle.
The only thing better is a peppermint stick in a pickle which is a delicacy around these parts, along with the infamous Kool-Aid pickle. I think I am going to buy a case of Bob’s Pickle Pops and let my kids set up a stand, selling lemonade is so Wally and The Beav.
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Hot stuff in frozen form
I'm not much of a chilehead. Although I like moderately spicy Mexican and Thai dishes, my use of hot peppers at home generally is limited to the occasional jalapeño, carefully seeded and minced for guacamole.
I specify "carefully" because the burning fingertips I experienced not long ago after seeding an especially potent jalapeño convinced me that the experts aren't kidding when they say to use gloves. The heat level of jalapeños can be inconsistent; one might be mild, but the next might prove fiery.
For those of you who say, "But I don't like to use rubber gloves," well, I don't either -- but after the burning-fingertips episode, I discovered that sticking my hand inside a plastic bag when seeding peppers works just fine. And after researching this week's cover story on hot peppers, I know I'll be trying some new recipes -- hands safely covered, of course.
But I recently sampled a new jalapeño-spiced product that didn't call for dicing or even cooking -- in fact, it was frozen.
I persuaded the kids to sample Pickle Sickles, frozen treats made from pickle juice. Yep, pickle juice. And I don't mean the brine left in the empty pickle jar. This Texas-based company actually presses pickles to get the sour-salty juice that's then packaged in plastic tubes -- just like the bright blue, red and orange ice pops that come tumbling out of my freezer all summer.
We sampled the sour frozen treats, available from www.picklesickle.com, and I was surprised that the kids didn't really care for them. I mean, these are the same kids who empty out the section of baby dills on any holiday dinner relish tray. But when it came to the frozen juice -- which really does taste like a frozen pickle -- they decided they'd rather just spear one out of the jar.
I, on the other hand, decided to try the jalapeño variety, and it wasn't bad at all. Maybe it was the spicy-sour combination, or maybe it was that the Pickle Sickle was both hot and cold. But something about it was oddly appealing.
The Pickle Sickles have no fat, less than a gram of sugar and about as much sodium as a 1-ounce snack-size bag of Cheetos. And while I don't particular like "Flamin' Hot" Cheetos, those jalapeño Pickle Sickles weren't bad at all.
And they certainly didn't burn my fingers.
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Taste Test: Bobs Pickle Pops
By Tasha Robinson
April 1st, 2008
Due to popular demand and the fact that we love trying weird foods and candies, The A.V. Club will now regularly feature "Taste Tests." Feel free to suggest disgusting and/or delicious new edibles for future installments: E-mail us at tastetest@theonion.com.
The lengthy text block on the box announces "It's hard to imagine someone thought of the idea to create frozen pop sickles made from pickle juice. It is even harder to believe someone tried it and liked it."
Well, that's damn true. But it isn't hard to believe that someone challenged us to try it. And by now, it shouldn't be all that hard to believe that we took them up on it.
If you believe the box and the website hype, Pickle Sickles—essentially pickle brine in popsicle-like plastic tubes, suitable for eating frozen or drinking straight as a "pickle juice shooter"—are the newest taste-treat sensation in Texas, "where this wild idea is a mouth puckering favorite."
But are you really going to fall for that? Are you really going to believe that straight pickle juice is a favorite of anyone, anywhere? Pickle brine is basically a disposable manufacturing tool; it seems a bit like eating the lardy runoff left after you cook up a big batch of fried pork rinds. (Also supposedly a big hit in Texas. Has anybody considered the possibility that this whole "Texas taste treat" thing is a big fat gag, and that the real Texans are all down there eating foie gras and laughing at us?)
Nonetheless, Pickle Sickles' marketers are pushing pickle-juice-in-a-tube as everything from a fat-free, low-cal snack for kids to "a frozen treat diabetics can eat" to "a pickle juice pick me up during strenuous activities to help with muscle cramps and dehydration." The makers also "dare you to take them to work or to school to have when you need a health snack or want to just look cool." 'Cause nothing impresses your peers like watching you drink something their moms normally throw away.
Pickle Sickle also comes in jalapeño flavor, which came to us packaged in the exact same boxes and tubes as the regular flavor, only with new ingredient lists manually glued onto the exterior of the packaging. Which is a little unnerving. We would have been considerably warier of the relatively mundane Snickers Charged candy bars if they'd just been ordinary Snickers bars with a laser-printed "now with caffeine!" sticker hot-glued on the front.
But then, how much warier could we possibly be of pickle juice in a tube? We all knew pretty much what it was going to taste like: pickles, in juice form. What we didn't know, because we aren't from Texas, was what it would taste like frozen. Or with jalapeño added. Or most importantly, mixed with a bunch of booze. Because when they said "shooter," we all immediately thought of alcohol, and we figured vodka would probably improve the taste—and would certainly improve the impact.
Taste: If you've ever eaten a commercial dill pickle straight out of the fridge, you should know what cold bottled pickle brine tastes like, unless you've always made a point of hand-patting each pickle dry, and squeezing out all the excess fluid. Pickle Sickles taste like commercial dill-pickle juice (as opposed to the usually milder homemade kind), with the salt content cranked way, way, way up. (Surprisingly, in spite of the flavor, they have a relatively low sodium count. Plus only three calories per pop!) Meanwhile, Jalapeño Pickle Sickles taste like salty jalapeño juice: spicy, prickly, and extremely sour. And, um, salty.
Post-tasting reactions, via e-mail and IM:
• "It's interesting enough on first taste, but I can't imagine eating a whole one, especially not on a hot day. It's just not refreshing enough to merit the term 'popsicle.'"
• "if you just lick it, it's not bad, but if you bite a piece off, it's horrible. The liquid version is actually a lot better then the frozen one. I think because the flavor lingers in your mouth less."
• "This is what I imagine the ice-cream man in the South serves, and his music would be 'Freebird,' not 'Pop-Goes-the-Weasel.'"
• "It tastes like pickles times a hundred. I was expecting it would be a lot less intense, more watered-down."
• "I didn't say so for fear of all the ridicule, but I think I'd actually eat the jalapeño pops even if I wasn't being forced. This coming from a kid who drinks the liquid left in the jar after the pickles were gone. What do you expect?"
• "Pure disgustingness. People kept saying, "Eh, it's not that bad." No, it is. The popsicle is repugnant; one lick and you've had enough."
• "After one sip, it made my throat burn very, very uncomfortably."
• "Yeah, it really burns. It's like a pickle salt lick."
• "I'd rather eat crickets."
• "I just want to note that the word sick is right there in the name."
Special bonus level: A.V. Club editor and bartender extraordinaire Keith Phipps actually emerged from the cave he normally hides in when we get up to our taste-testing hijinks, and mixed us up a batch of Pickle-tinis: a fifth of vodka to a tube of jalapeño Pickle Sickle. The results were surprisingly mild for something with so much booze, though they still weren't to everyone's tastes:
• "That tastes like you dumped a couple tablespoons of salt into a teaspoon of vodka and added a pickle taste just to make it worse. I don't know if there's enough gum in the world to get this taste out of my mouth."
• "The jalapeno elements pleasantly remind me of a nice, spicy Cajun martini. But the strong notes of vinegar kind of ruin the effect."
• "I think it could actually be good with a little more tweaking—not that different from an extra-dirty martini. Though I imagine it would give you some pretty heinous dragon breath."
• "It just tasted like the really cheap vodka you used to steal out of your parents' liquor cabinet when you were young. Not like Tom-Petty-playing-in-the-background vodka; like Paul Newman brand vodka."
• "It's surprisingly un-bad. The salt cuts the harshness of the vodka, and the vodka cuts the sharpness of the salt. Granted, now it tastes kind of like rubbing alcohol smells, but that's still better than I thought it would taste."
Now, of course, we're all sitting around work drunk off our asses and with pickle-breath. (Kyle Ryan has spent the last hour wailing that he can still smell pickle, that it's everywhere, and that it just won't go away.) Personally, I can't get Arlo Guthrie's "Motorcycle Song" out of my head. ("I don't want a pickle / I just wanna ride on my motor-sickle…") But I'm pretty sure that's the vodka talking, and not the popsicles.
Incidentally, the Pickle Sickle slogan is "Pickle Sickles Make You Smile!" This generally proved to be true. But it was a pretty grimace-y smile, and we were mostly grinning at the faces other people were making while hesitantly biting into frozen, cucumber-tinged, spicy salt-juice.
Where to get them: Picklesickle.com, also your resource for wildly enthusiastic Pickle Sickle recommendations, health information, and a surprising number of quotes from detractors.
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Is there a tasty way to counter the dreaded kid's sugar high? Possibly with the Picklesickle or pickle pop. A company in Seguin Texas (don't worry, you can order them online) makes a frozen pickle juice popsicle called the picklesickle. It is interesting to note that they don't just use the leftover vinegar and brine from pickling, but actually squeeze the juice out of the pickles, just like the orange juice you had this morning. They have a good website and note several scientific studies where vinegar has been used as a anti-glycemic agent to help diabetics control blood sugar levels. It is an interesting concept, and since summer is coming, and pickles are always a big hit at our house, I have no doubt that we will be trying them soon. If it actually works to control the sugar high, it may become a year-round treat.
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by Toby, Inventorspot
March 19, 2008
Yep. It's going to be the new tongue twister: "Peter Piper picked a peck of PickleSickle Pops." That would certainly tickle the co-founders of PickleSickle.com. They make the puckable PickleSickle Pop and market it primarily to schools, the very place such a tongue twister might thrive.
But there's a method behind the seeming madness of the PickleSickle Pops. It's called tasty, refreshing,and healthy. John Howard, the creator of PickleSickle Pops, had made the frozen pickle juice pops for his customers at Outerskate roller skating rink and arcade in Seguin, Texas. Howard liked them, of course, but he was genuinely surprised that his pickle pops sold out every night to kids and their parents. They loved his pickle juice pops because of the taste and health benefits.
Pickles, it is known, are not only a food craved by pregnant women, but can reduce blood-sugar spikes by as much as 30 percent after a high-carbohydrate meal. Vinegar and spices used in the pickling process are also healthy additives to the diet, especially garlic and dill, that help to control the growth of unhealthy bacteria in the body. So pickles are healthy for kids, for adults, for pregnant women, for diabetics, and for overweight persons. (PickleSickle Pops have no fat and only one gram of sugar.)
There are no artificial flavorings in PickleSpickle Pops and no high fructose corn syrup... just pickles. Co-founder of PickleSickle, David Millar, says that 100 percent of the pickle is sqeezed in a process, much like apples are sqeezed in the production of apple juice. There is a whole page of health information provided in a kid-friendly way on the PickleSickle site, which is interesting for adults too.
The two entrepreneurs are doing a fantastic marketing job with PickleSickle. They have a line of PickleSickle characters prepared to market to kids, starting with PickleSickle Bob.
Check out the birthday party page to see the party poster designs in progress at the KidsClub.
Also check out the comments section. And you must listen to the Pickle Song , by Duncan Wells.
I'm only providing all these links because they're fun! If you want to just order the PickleSickle Pops, they are available here in original PickleSickle and Hot Pepper Pickle Pops starting at $17.95 for 16 pops, shipping included!
Watch for notices that PickleSickle is marketing cherry and lemon-lime flavored Pickle Pops.
One question: Are they sour or half-sour?
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Tuesday, March 18. 2008
In the blistering heat of the summer, what delicious snack can you think of to battle the heat? Popsicles? Ice Cream? Frozen Pickle Juice? Yikes, I'm not sure who the first brave soul to try this was but it turned out to be such a hit that it's now a product called Bob's Pickle Pops. Just picture those delightful otter pops but instead of sweet, frozen goodnes, it tastes like pickles. If I find some for sale around here I'll definitely try one but I'm not really going out of my way.
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March 5ht 2008
Kind readers, let me tell you a Horatio Alger story, would you? Imagine yourself at an ice rink. Your shoes are wet, you're sweaty and chilled, it's Arctic in there and you're hungry. OK, this is not a Horatio Alger story thus far. I may have promised you too much.
Anyways, you're in the ice rink there, waiting impatiently for me to get to the point, and thinking that something sweet and hot would take off the chill. Well! Today's featured entrepreneur in this Salute to Entrepreneurs is way ahead of you. For your snack, how about a nice lump of frozen pureed dill pickle?
It's the PickleSickle! PRESS RELEASE QUOTE: "The name PickleSickles was created by John Howard owner of Outerskate roller skating rink and arcade in Seguin, Texas. He has been freezing pickle juice for the kids and adults and sells out every night. Surprised by the sales, he decided there was a market worth investigating. The company is also creating flavored PickleSickles such as cherry, lemon-lime that have proven to be very popular." Well, I can imagine why!
So this Horatio Algerishy (ah, there it is) note of encouragement to those with a dream: look what this visionary's dream has brought to the world! Dream your dream! Or maybe just take a nap. But take as your guidepost: the PickleSickle!
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by James Oliver Cury www.epicurious.com
on 04/24/08 at 03:40 PM
We've had one of the hottest days of the year so far in New York, and in an attempt to quench my thirst, I reached into my mini-fridge and found the frozen pickle juice popsickles I've been meaning to taste test. I'm the kind of guy who generally likes salty food more than sweet ones (bacon more than pancakes, pretzels more than cookies). So, naturally, I love pickles. And yes, these pickle sickles were pretty darn good.
Like many ice treats, they beg to be slurped. You can really suck out the pickle juice from the ice. Once the solid part was gone, I drank down the remaining unfrozen fluid. It was plenty tart, sour, and salty, but refreshing nonetheless. They seem fairly healthy, too, with just three calories per two-ounce serving, 245mg of sodium, and no fat. There is a preservative (potassium sorbate), a dye (yellow #5), and an emulsifier (polysorbate 80), but somehow this doesn't sound nearly as unhealthy as, say, a Dove Bar. A box of 16 pops costs $17.95 including S&H at www.picklejuicepops.com.
The popsickle also reminded me of my youth when mom would freeze OJ into pops (we had a device that helped center the stick). Anyone have any other frozen-treat-on-a-stick recipes?
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James Oliver Cury is the executive editor of Epicurious.com. He is a member of the James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee and has been a judge at the Culinary Institute of America, the Jack Daniels World Barbecue Championship, and the Food Network's Iron Chef show. He's written for dozens of magazines, including Esquire, Playboy, Details, Entertainment Weekly, Maxim, Men's Journal, SPIN, Glamour , US Magazine, Food & Wine, and Every Day with Rachael Ray. |
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Pucker up for this frozen treat Popsicles are supposed to be tooth-achingly sweet, right? They're supposed to be super-sugary syrups dyed fire-engine red, electric blue or neon green and frozen into sticks, rocket ships or other fun-tastic shapes. What they're not supposed to be is salty, or sour, or dilly, or the unappetizing color of celery. Who would want that? Well, a lot of people, it seems, including a couple of FOODday staffers.
We thought Pickle Sickles were a gag when the press release first landed on our desks. A Popsicle with "health benefits" made from frozen pickle brine and "freshly squeezed" pickles? Oh, please. But the Texas company says it's no joke and sent us a box of them to prove it. Half the tasters crinkled their noses and deposited their pops in the trash, but the other half -- pickle lovers and salt cravers -- actually enjoyed their entire treats.
We'll grant the company the claim that people love the sour taste of pickling brines. We've heard of people sipping brine from the jar, splashing it in martinis and potato salads or crunching it on snow cones purchased outside the Grant Park swimming pool during the summer. But any health benefits seem to be a stretch. According to the company, studies have shown vinegar can reduce blood-sugar spikes after high-carb meals by up to 30 percent. But high-carb meals aren't exactly good nutrition, anyway. A box of 16 pops costs $17.95 including shipping. They also offer a hot pepper flavor.
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Your favorite tipple now comes frozen.
I admit it, I’ve been tempted by the juice left in the pickle jar. It’s briny, salty goodness, so why not? I’m not the only one either—other people admit to using pickle juice to perk up egg salad and canned tuna. But if cheese is milk’s leap to immortality, the Pickle Sickle is the one good shot the lowly pickle brine has at making it big.
Hailing from Texas, the Pickle Sickle is the brainchild of a roller-skating rink owner, who started freezing the leftover pickle brine and selling it at the rink. When he found he was selling 200 to 300 pickle pops every Friday and Saturday night, he knew he was on to something. Now, according to an article in the Washington Post, he sells “about 20,000 a month, mostly through the Internet.” The frozen pops, which come in original and jalapeño, are even being sold in schools as an alternative to sugary Popsicles, and may be useful for diabetics trying to manage insulin spikes.
This summer, the hottest ticket at the ice cream stand—most certainly the saltiest—just might be the Pickle Sickle. 3-18-08
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Posted Mar 7th 2008 9:35AM by Nicole Teed
Filed under: Feeding & Nutrition, Eating, Marketing to kids, Weird but True
"Ma, grab me a pickle there, will ya?" Pa called from his rocking chair on the front porch.
"I would," replied Ma, "But the dadgum jars got put in the ice box instead of the cupboard. These pickles are as frozen as can be."
"Aw, heck," said Pa. "Well, just bring me the whole jar, and I'll lick 'em, juice and all."
That's my TOTALLY FICTIONAL account of the discovery of the Pickle Sickle, a new product that combines the convenience of ice pops in squeezable plastic with -- you guessed it -- pickles.
Bob's Pickle Pops come in two flavor options, regular and hot, and can be eaten frozen or not. They've recently been approved by the USDA for distribution in schools. And while some might be concerned about the nutritional value, the sodium and calories can't be any worse than a sugary popsicle.
I'm a sucker for products promoted with a sense of humor. After all, who could be too serious about pickle popsicles? To see what I mean, check out their theme song, I'm in a Pickle.
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Loyal readers of the “print product” will recall this story (scroll down) about Garland’s Goldin Pickle Company and its struggles with the FDA over saltiness and serving sizes. The story contained one of my favorite paragraphs that I’ve written in my career:
Despite the piping times at Goldin Pickle Company, printing new pickle juice labels proved cost-prohibitive. Plus there was a possible public-relations problem that could pop up from saying that one serving would contain 1,640 milligrams of sodium. Production was stopped.
Well, now there’s a new pickle product in town. Out of Carrollton (by way of Seguin) comes Bob’s Pickle Pops and its Pickle Sickle, “the bizarre tasting ‘pickle’ craze from Texas you can’t get enough of.” They even have their own song.
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Not at all sexy, but for some reason I’m obsessed with this product. Frozen pickle pops are allegedly all the rage in Texas (which, I’ll submit, to New Yorkers may as well be Estonia or Bali) and, really, how can you argue with a mascot like Pickle Bob over here? Seems pickles (vinegar, in particular) may have the benefit of curbing blood sugar spikes, giving them more than decorative value for diabetics and kids who breakfasted on Sugar Smacks. And now you can eat them in the form of popsicles. Welcome to the future.
UPDATE: Last night I walked into a bar in Brooklyn and there was a special on pickletinis. That’s a dirty martini using pickle juice instead of olive to you. Pickles are the new cupcakes. You heard it here first.
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February 6th, 2008
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Pickle Pop, Pickle in a tube. Whatever you want to call it, this is no doubt an interesting product that the folks at Bob’s Pickle Pops are selling.
So what is a pickle pop? Dill pickles are pressed to extract as much of their juice as possible, then that juice is put in a plastic tube, much like flavor ice. The product is shipped unfrozen, but it is expected that once you get it, you will pop it in your freezer.
Although people have been eating pickle juice in various forms for a long time (including turning it into an energy drink for athletes), this product’s birth was a year ago, when a Texas family began selling the pickle pops at their roller skating rink and arcade. People loved them so much they decided to take the pickle pops to a bigger audience.
The product is being pitched to school cafeteria’s as well as consumers. Not a bad idea. Pickle juice doesn’t give you any calories, so this can be seen as a tasty frozen treat that even a diabetic could enjoy.
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We literally cannot stop thinking about the Bobs Pickle Pops we reported on yesterday. Our curiosity is bountiful, so we tracked down the below video of the company's founder discussing his bizarre product. Apparently, one can buy a cherry-flavored pickle pop. Truly, the mind boggles.
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Pax Arcana February 6, 2008...12:03 pm
If aliens descended to earth, they would probably be confused by some of our warm-weather treats.
“Snow cones?” the aliens would say. “Wouldn’t it make more sense to just throw sugary syrup on actual snow in the winter, when it’s so plentiful?”
Then the aliens would vaporize you. But that’s hardly the point.
The point is that we already eat some weird stuff — and it’s only going to get weirder. For example, our friends at MenuPages have uncovered the next great frozen treat craze — frozen pickle juice in a plastic tube.
It’s like Joe Camel’s poop is trying to sell you something
As revealed in the video below, the geniuses at Pickle Sickle started their company a little while back after they were unable to keep tiny cups of frozen pickle juice on hand at skating rinks in Texas.
If that last sentence made any sense at all, I suggest you give up hallucinogens for Lent.
The makers of the Pickle Sickle say the pops are a healthy alternative to sugary frozen treats, and have become all the rage among the “culinary elite” of Texas. I don’t believe it, but then I used to dunk sour cream and onion chips into milk like they were Oreos.
So take that, Smorak from Zrbniic 12. |
Our brother blogs in Philadelphia and San Francisco have been all over the recent story of a German company that sells canned cheeseburgers. Canned meat is an aberration unto God and mankind to be sure, but you know what's even grosser? Frozen pickle juice.
Grub Street recently alerted us to the Pickle Sickle, which is, as the name implies, a pickle-flavored popsicle. A pickle-flavored popsicle. Because everyone is so fond of drinking pickle juice? Because people love sour frozen treats? Because the product's tagline "The bizarre-tasting 'pickle' craze from TEXAS you can't get enough of" is so wildly appealing? Truly, we are baffled.
We suspect that it's no coincidence that the word "sick" is right there in the title, so we will certainly not be trying a PickleSickle anytime soon. That being said, we are very interested in hearing from anyone who's tried one. As always, the tipline is open.
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Celebrity Pickle Sickle
August 28, 2007
OK, I’ll admit I have no idea if the celebrities are eating these, but I had to tell you about the Pickle Sickle. Yep, it’s just like what it sounds like… a pickle flavored popsicle. The Pickle Sickle is the brain child of John Howard, owner of the Outer Skate skating rink in Seguin, Texas. John began freezing pickle juice for the skating rink concession stand and sold out each night. And so the pickle juice popsicle empire began. The Pickle Sickles now come in 3 flavors, Original Dill, Lemon Pickle, and Razberry Pickle.
I love pickles and pickle juice, so when I read about them I had to order them. You really can get anything you want on the web. I ordered a case (yes, an entire case) of the original dill for just $17.95 They are so good there are only 2 left in the freezer right now. The first bite is the best — it’s super sour and tangy - just like you think frozen pickle juice would be! These make a great summer treat and best of all the Original Dill flavor Pickle Sickle doesn’t contain any sugar, so you can snack all you want and still look like a star in your bikini. |
Pickles Do It Better
Dear nice people who work at Bobs Pickle Pops ,
I love pickles. I love popsicles too. Ergo I will surely love, love your pickle juice popsicles. Please send me a lifetime supply of Pickle Sickles so that I can tell the world how wonderful they truly are.
With love, Sharelle
P.S. If they are made from bread and butter pickle juice then don’t bother.
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I was just minding my own business, browsing the web when BAM, I hit a website with this image and a link to the picklesickle website. WTF?
So, of course I had to check it out. Not a joke, completely legit. It seems that some lunatic in Texas decided to start serving frozen pickle juice pops to his skating rink customers.I pulled this phrase from the site:
“This is one of those crazy ideas that should have died a quick and horrible death right from the beginning, right? But it didn’t. As a matter of fact, it is an idea that just wont die.”
This might be a great way for me to get rid of those extra pickles I have in my fridge.
My first inclination was to say gross and dismiss these pickle pops, but now I’m curious. So I think I am going to have to get a case to try before judging.
Pickle Sickle Juice Pop Party at my crib… soon!
Who’s in?
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I can honestly say this would never have occurred to me.
It’s big around here. After our concession stands sell the pickles out of those giant pickle jars, they freeze the juice. It sells amazingly well.
I just got notice my box is being shipped today! Woo!
I feel strangely . . . puckered.