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strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | #popsicleweek

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Happy Popsicle Week!

There are only a couple more days of this official celebration of all-things-frozen-and-delicious, hosted by the creative and affable, Billy of Wit & Vinegar. This is year two of his popsicle round-up, featuring a lineup of insanely creative recipes from bloggers across the interwebs. This exhaustive list will keep you inspired and glued to your popsicle mold well into early fall.

I’ve been making some sort of fruity popsicle, since I was five. I owe any popsicle prowess to my mom. She kept it simple and would freeze our Juicy Juice in the most adorable, kid-sized Tupperware molds. I wish I still had them. I’ve since moved on to a little more “involved” popsicle, adding whole fruits, coconut milk, nuts, and even edible flowers to the mix. This summer, however, was the first time I thought of adding a little extra kick: rosé!

strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & floraAround our house, with two sommeliers in the kitchen, these boozy popsicles are affectionately known as “somm pops.” I think we’d imbibed a tad too much wine one evening, when we came up with the title. We ended up sketching plans for a recipe book, featuring popsicles made with wine, perfectly paired with their other ingredients. The next morning, the whole idea sounded ridiculous, but I’m still rocking their new name!

Keep in mind that booze doesn’t freeze as solidly as water or juice does. In fact, these particular pops melt kind of quickly, if you’re standing in the hot, summer sun. I wouldn’t decrease the amount of rosé in the recipe, however. The whole point is to enjoy a delicious, frozen, sangria-like concoction on a stick. I kept mine chilling in an iced wine bucket, and they didn’t melt as fast. You’ll notice a darker color at the top of these popsicles. I added a little blackberry liqueur, just before I froze the pops. I will most likely omit this on my next recipe, since the liqueur melted almost instantly. It made for a beautiful color, though.

strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora


strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | somm pops


  • 10 ounces dry rosé {I went with Lorenza rosé}
  • 7 ounces watermelon juice
  • 1 ounce blood orange liqueur {I used Solerno}
  • 1 ounce agave nectar
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 6-7 sliced strawberries
  1. Chill down your rosé, so you’ll have something to sip on, while you make your pops.
  2. Juice your watermelon. I used my Hurom juicer, but you can also simply blend watermelon chucks and then pour the juice through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any particulates.
  3. In a bowl, combine the rosé, the freshly juiced watermelon, orange liqueur, agave nectar, and lime juice. Whisk well to incorporate.
  4. Place two or three sliced strawberries into each popsicle mold and pour the rosé mixture on top, leaving about 1/4″ space at the top, so the liquid has room to expand.
  5. Add your popsicle sticks and freeze at least three hours or until solid.
  • This recipe makes ten popsicles. I used the Prepworks mold, sold on Amazon.
  • Remember, these are boooooozy pops, so they will melt faster. That’s not exactly a bad thing, when you want a light, summery buzz. You just have to enjoy them quicker.
  • Substitute any other berries you have on hand. Raspberries would be divine here.

strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & floraSo, I can’t leave out a tasting note on the Lorenza rosé. It has been one of my favorite pink wines this summer. In fact, I picked up an entire case, and I’m up for another one soon. Lorenza is crafted by a lovely mother and daughter duo, Melinda Kearney and Michèle Lorenza Ouellet. Their wine is crisp, dry, delicate, and delicious. The aromas and flavors in this rosé were a perfect match for the strawberries and watermelon in the popsicles.


lorenza rosé, california, 2014


  • On the eyes  –  It’s a brilliant, pale peach.
  • On the nose  –  Slightly under-ripened strawberry, quince, and pear, with light, floral aromas.
  • In the blend  –  44% Grenache, 33% Carignan, 15% Mourvèdre, 8% Cinsault.
  • On the palate  –  This rosé is dry and crisp with a racy, mouthwatering acidity. Lean and light in body, Lorenza still has an almost satin-like mouth-feel, supplied by the rich fruit on the palate. Lots of strawberries with a clean, mineral-driven, balanced finish. More, please.
  • On the table  –  I loved pairing this rosé with a watermelon caprese salad. The acidity in the wine was a perfect complement to the fresh mozzarella. Rosé isn’t only for delicate food presentations, either. Enjoy this wine with briny oysters, any summer salads, or, one of my favorites, a veggie burger with ample amounts of avocado.
  • On the shelf  –  Find it for around $19.

strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & flora strawberry + watermelon rosé popsicles | holly & floraWhat kind of popsicles are you making this summer? If you haven’t made any yet, here are a few other boozy pops I’m definitely going to try over the next few weeks. Whether you call them “poptails,” “cocktail pops,” or “somm pops,” get out and make yourself some!

I’ll add a little catch-up on the happenings from the garden this past week. It has been super hot and toasty with little rain, so I have had to water a little more frequently. No watering was necessary in June, but it is definitely the stereotypical summer now. Full-on heat and sunshine. And the new “secret garden” that we build along the side of our detached garage is seriously taking off. I’m so glad we turned a formerly fenced-in waste of space into an eye-catching and engaging edible growing area.

Happiest of weekends to you!

Jayme

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  1. Liz @ Floating Kitchen says:

    These are just gorgeous! Love me some poptails! I’m having so much fun at popsicle week! Your garden looks beautiful! Cheers!

    • Thanks, Liz! I am seriously addicted to making poptails, too. Every week should be popsicle week, right? 🎉 And your tequila sunrise pops are definitely on my radar. Cheers!!

  2. So, so pretty Jayme! I’m chilling a bottle of Rose in the freezer right now from South Africa. I might have to make some of these luscious popsicles. It’s funny, because my popsicle molds aren’t nearly as pretty as yours with their primary colored handles (red, green, yellow, blue) with built in straws to catch every last drip. Kids 😉
    And your sweet kitty! Too cute. Love all of these shots. Hope you’re having a relaxing weekend and your deadlines are behind you xoxo

    • Thanks, Emilie! Which South African rosé did you enjoy? I love the Cab Sauv rosé that Mulderbosch produces. I haven’t had much exposure to any others, so I appreciate a recommendation! HA! About the popsicle molds…I just bought these this past month. I have my beloved green-handled kid-friendly molds, too. I still use them, even though I’m down to only five of the six molds I purchased. Word to the wise, don’t ever drop a frozen, plastic mold onto the tile floor. Breakage happens. I need those built-in straws – seriously! Especially with this recipe. Since there is a significant amount of alcohol from the rosé, they tend to melt quite quickly. I would actually suggest your pop molds over mine because of the drip-catcher! 😉

      Kitty was happy with the new bird feeder. I’m content because it is high enough, so that the girls can’t catch the birds, and low enough that they are still entertained. You know? I had the most relaxing day today. No obligations. I could have done a lot, but I seriously just relaxed and soaked up the gorgeous summer day.

      Big hugs to you! I am super stoked about your cookbook. Sign me up for a pre-release copy, and if you need any testing or the like, I’m in for you. This has been an amazing year for you! 🙂

      XO!

  3. […] week. Some of my favourites: raspberry, lillet, and lemon verbena popsicles from The Bojon Gourmet; strawberry and watermelon rosé popsicles from Holly & Flora; black forest popsicles from The Artful Desperado; and many more – […]

  4. Liz says:

    I came over from the Herbal Gardening 101 series which I am loving and appreciating…zone 4b in Northwest Montana.

    Photos are superb as is your garden and your sweet cats 🙂 !

    • Hi, Liz! Thanks for stopping by, and I’m so glad you’re enjoying the herb series – that totally makes my day. Montana is on my list of places to visit. I’m hoping to take a road trip sometime before September.

      Are you growing any herbs or vegetables this year? Dill seems to be the most prolific herb for us – it is reaching over seven feet tall!! And about those cats…they get into everything, but they are the source of so much laughter – even inspiration. 🙂 Happy weekend!!

      • Liz says:

        I have not yet got any herbs going … longish story … and a young (almost 2) cat is involved 🙂 !! Fortunately, I have a gardening neighbor who also has chickens …and I have an ice cream maker and we have a lovely trade going this summer: homemade ice cream (me) for eggs and garden bounty which includes herbs (neighbor).

        I also have a dog, but anyway … next year I am planning on herbs and a small veg/flower garden … in some sort of raised beds that I can easily “fence”. I live amongst many deer, a skunk, a raccoon and a red fox. The deer are the worst at getting into the growing things.

        Just reading about your dill which is another favorite of mine.

        Re Montana – in my opinion, mid-August/September and October are the absolute best times to visit. This year might be iffy as we have been scary dry and hot. If you need any specific info about my area, let me know. I am 7 miles north of Bigfork, 18 miles southeast of Kalispell, 42 miles south of Glacier National Park. Hopefully, I entered my details correctly on this reply and there is a link to my personal blog.

  5. Sherrie says:

    Jayme I love these rose pops! Also, I love these photos from your garden. Those tomatoes are going to be so perfect soon. All my love, xo!

    • Thanks, Sherrie! 🙂 Those pops were so good – just finished the last one yesterday, sadly. I’ve got a new batch in the works, though, so all will be well here. 😉 So happy you love the photos! My backyard is seriously my favorite place to be right now. I am living the term, “home body,” to a fault! Gotta get out of the house! XO!

  6. Marmy says:

    Your photography is gorgeous!

  7. […] –  Strawberry + Watermelon Rosé Popsicles / Because boozy dessert is always a good idea on a Friday […]

  8. […] or encore to a meal. This is my second year participating in #POPSICLEWEEK. Last year, I made watermelon + rosé pops. I’ve already christened this summer by sharing a recipe for watermelon margarita popsicles […]

  9. […] sky-high sugar content)? No booze. Thankfully, this recipe from Jayme—a trained sommelier!—at Holly & Flora addresses that issue deliciously, with the help of rosé, watermelon, orange liqueur, agave nectar, […]

  10. […] sky-high sugar content)? No booze. Thankfully, this recipe from Jayme—a trained sommelier!—at Holly & Flora addresses that issue deliciously, with the help of rosé, watermelon, orange liqueur, agave nectar, […]

  11. […] rosé & watermelon ice lollies not pictured because we totally forgot to put them out; also we didn’t use orange liqueur like the recipe called for […]

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