Season Your Popsicles With Chili Salt
I don’t know if you are up to date with the latest and greatest popsicle news, but Outshine is now making frozen mango fruit bars flavored with tajin . That’s right: The best mass-produced grocery store popsicle just got better because it now comes in a delicious blend of chili powder, salt and crystallized lime.
Flavoring fruits with chili powder is nothing new – you can find mango, pineapple, and many other fruits flavored this way in Mexico, Thailand, and Vietnam, just to name a few. But if you live in the predominantly white pocket of the United States (or elsewhere), you may have never encountered such a combination before. (I used to think I was very smart, seasoning the melon with salt, and then moved to LA and immediately felt overwhelmed by the mango with chili powder.)
That’s all to say that seasoning something fruity with something savory is a good idea, and that your popsicles (and summer) will improve dramatically if you use Outshine cues and start seasoning ice ice cream. The contrast of sweet fruits, smoky chili powder, spicy limes and salts creates a fragrant party in the mouth where everyone is invited. I poured tajine over the mango, pineapple and strawberry Outshine bars and everything went really well. (If you can find or make Mexican palettes, use them.)
Tagine is very easy to find, but just about any chili salt mixture will work. You can also (very easily) make your own . Chilli salt aside, Jamaican jerky seasoning would also be delicious, as would this super-tenacious rum salt from our very own Vaughn Stafford Gray.
Run a foray into the spice cabinet and try an icy pop. Good luck! This is how I found the Red Boat Fish Sauce Salt absolutely hit the watermelon popsicle (and real watermelon). If this sounds too wild to you, start with a simple salt (like Maldon or coarse kosher salt). Salt makes almost everything, including popsicles, get much better.