Summer brings ‘cool’ treats
by Citlali Moreno
Graphic by Joshua Bolus
With summer coming, cravings for cold, sweet treats start rising like the temperature.
Such treats include popsicles, flavored ice frozen on a stick that originated in the early 1920s. They originally sold for just five cents and came in only seven flavors, including cherry, which is still the most popular popsicle flavor today, according to history.com.
Instead of holding onto a stick, another way to enjoy flavored ice is to put it in a cone. Snow cones are a warm weather favorite. They are served in a paper cup filled with fruit-flavored crushed ice. They first appeared in 1919 at a state fair, according to history.com.
Raspados, the Mexican version of snow cones, get their name from the Spanish word raspar, or to scrape. The ice is put into a cup and served in combinations such as syrup alone, fruit and syrup, milk or syrup and fruit. In many parts of Mexico, the syrups are very sweet.
Some people favor a creamy dessert rather than an icy one. Ice cream is a soft dessert, usually containing various milk-based mixtures. There are many flavors of ice cream that can be served with toppings like hot fudge and sprinkles in a bowl or a cone. According to internationaldairyfoodassociation.org, ice cream’s origins are known to reach as far back as the second century.
Others like ice cream served in form of a sundae, which is a dish of ice cream that can include toppings, such as fruits, nuts, syrup and whipped cream. According to whatscookingamerica.net, two cities claim to have created the original ice cream sundae: Two Rivers, WI, and Ithaca, NY.
Sorbet, a dessert made of frozen fruit juice or flavored water and sugar, is another summer treat that does not include dairy products. According to icecreamhistory.net, sorbet slowly became one of the most popular frozen desserts of Renaissance Europe.
Instead of running to a local store or waiting for the ice cream truck to come, students can make nearly all these treats at home. One easy homemade treat is popsicles. According to bonappetit.com, one just chooses a favorite fruit juice, pours the juice into a paper cup and freezes it with a wooden craft stick in the middle. Once the juice is frozen, simply peel or cut the cup away and enjoy.
With various options for delicious cold treats, students can beat the summer heat.