Homemade Popsicles for Memorial Day

Summertime means homemade popsicles!

Happy Memorial Day! The unofficial start to summer is officially upon us, and what better way to show some gratitude than to make homemade popsicles with homegrown fruit?

We're already knee-deep in stone fruit season here in Texas, so I had a bowl of tiny peaches from my mom's tree languishing on the counter. The fruits were just beginning to shrivel, and I knew that was a sign that they needed to be used right away.

Funny enough, I also learned yesterday by way of Splendid Table that shriveled stone fruits and tomatoes (before they are at the rotting stage) actually boast concentrated sugars—and therefore, concentrated flavors. So what I thought was a bowl of peaches about to go bad on my kitchen counter was actually a bowl of peaches at the peak moment to be adapted into a new recipe.

After a little Googling and recipe searching, I came up with the idea to make peach and tequila popsicles. There's not enough booze in these to really set you off (only about one shot divided between 10 popsicles), but it imparts just enough flavor to make these an adults-only treat. It also keeps the pops from freezing too hard, meaning they have a wonderful texture and are prime for enjoying on the picnic table outside. The super-sweet peaches really stand out. These taste like summer ought to.

I added a 1/2 cup grapefruit Italian soda, which added a nice bit of tang—but is not totally necessary. Feel free to sub with another Italian soda of your choice or simply more orange juice. Pineapple juice might also be a good substitute here.

Peach & Tequila Popsicles
Makes 8 pops

Very ripe peaches: enough to equal about 1 cup, after peeling and removing the pits
5 tablespoons organic cane sugar
1/8 cup tequila (or one shot)
1 cup pulp-free orange juice
1/2 cup grapefruit Italian soda or 1/2 cup more orange juice

Peel the peaches and remove the pits. Place in a medium bowl and mash together with the sugar to create a simple puree (no need to use the blender; a few small chunks of fresh peaches add to the awesomeness of these popsicles). Add the other ingredients and mix well. Carefully pour into your popsicle molds and put in the freezer for about two hours. Then slide in the popsicle sticks, and freeze for at least 8 more hours before serving.