summertime sweets

At the height of summer, what can be better than fresh fruit popsicles?

Any fruit, juiced or pureed and frozen into the ultimate summer refresher, takes the sizzle out of even the hottest days. But the best fruit popsicles are made with sun-ripened, in-season fruit plucked at its peak for sweetness.

Homemade fruit popsicles are a healthy, all-natural and low-fat alternative to some packaged frozen desserts. Making popsicles is easy, and when the fruit is locally-sourced, you know the flavor can’t be fresher. Depending on the natural sweetness of the fruit being used, it may even be possible to omit adding sugar.

Oregon-grown berries, stone fruit, melons and tree fruits, combined with a squeeze of lemon juice and a touch of sugar or simple syrup are all excellent bases for frozen fruit pops.

Once you’ve made a few different versions, get creative and add fresh herbs or infused simple syrups for more sophisticated flavorings.

For cocktail-inspired popsicles, add a couple of tablespoons of suitable liquor to fruit mixtures before freezing, but be sure to keep these separated out and labeled for adults only.