Liz Roach: Fourth of July Treat — Bourbon-Ginger Popsicles

Few pleasures evoke childhood like the sticky sensation of licking popsicle juices off your fingers.

Whether enjoyed while lazing on a shaded veranda or dangling off the back of a speedboat, the frozen treat refreshes and revives the most heat-stricken of souls.  Just in time for the Fourth of July, why not create your own with a grown-up twist?   Scads of pop-up (no pun intended) shops have emerged in the past couple of summers to create eclectic new flavors, such as tangerine basil from King of Pops in Atlanta or chocolate gelato pops from popbar in New York City.

In honor of the classic pairing of that most American of spirits (bourbon) and ginger, I decided to blend the two for my popsicles.

The key for summer recipes is to stick with those that don’t keep you in the kitchen too long and away from the fun.  So in the lazy spirit of the season, I went with a quick, effortless formula.

The exact measurements will depend on the size and type of popsicle molds you’re using.  For my four pop container, I used two tablespoons (one ounce) of bourbon to eight ounces of ginger ale. You’ll want to adjust the servings for your particular mold, but the general proportion should be one part bourbon to eight parts ginger ale.  As tempting as it may be, make sure not to overdo the alcohol content or the popsicles won’t freeze as well.

Mix the two ingredients together in a small bowl, and perhaps add a sprinkle of water to taste.  (This also depends on the spiciness of your ginger ale. If you have access to a quality regional ginger ale such as Kentucky’s Ale 8 One or South Carolina’s Blenheim Ginger Ale, put it to good use.)  Pour your mixture into the popsicle tray and freeze.

After a few hours in the icebox, the pops will be ready to serve at your next barbeque or porch party.  So kick back, cool down, and don’t let any of those juices go to waste!

===

EDITOR’S NOTE:  In the initial version of this story, due to an editor’s mistake, we used mistakenly a picture taken by Sarah Stewart Holland, whose bourbon popsicle recipe has been cited by several online sites.  The author of this piece was unaware of this mistake or the Holland article.