Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Whatever Happened to the Chocolate Popsicle?

We've had a record-breaking summer of heat and dry weather here. I found myself, more than once, craving popsicles.
                                              

 This was the go-to treat when I was a kid, walking to the corner store with my friends, each of us buying a different kind of popsicle, cracking them in the middle and sharing the different flavours with each other. I wanted to do that with Chris the other day and I *really* wanted a chocolate popsicle. They were my favorite and I haven't tried to find one in years.

Maybe it's even been decades? But you know how the memory is, it's like no time has passed so I was positive I would find popsicle, and hoping to find chocolate ones.
the lowly orange popsicle serving as an icon of the venerable twin pop
shown here as a sterling silver charm



I'd even settle for the common orange popsicle if I had to, the worst of the bunch.

o
not the actual freezer where I bought the lifesaver frozen thingy, but very similar
 I walked to the closest corner store and peered into the freezer.


I was looking for a popsicle. The one I really wanted, but can never get, is the tri-coloured popsicle: blue, white and pink/red. They could have ditched the red part and just made it blue and white. That would be my preference. Sometimes you can get the blue/white/red in the "rocket" format, but it's not the same to me.



So I got a lifesavers popsicle-like thing today.  It was very yummy but triggered the popsicle memories of my youth.

Popsicle Pete! Where are you my old friend?






My popsicle quest had me trying to remember the last time I actually saw a chocolate popsicle.
fudgsicles are not popsicles

What happened to those?



It turns out that the popsicle I remember is actually called a "twin pop", developed during the Great Depression and made with the intention of sharing with you friends. They were discontinued in 1987. Sheesh. Apparently moms found them too messy and kids didn't get to the second half fast enough so they melted. Hello? Is this a case of "kids today" or what? Sometimes we didn't crack them in half but kept them whole and ate them like that and sometimes they melted CAUSE IT WAS HOT OUT and yeah, sometimes little kids get sticky gooey stuff on their hands. 


I think it was probably more likely that the company could make something smaller and charge the same price for it, thereby making more money. 

Popsicle Pete, CEO/CFO/Corp.

things-on-a-stick are always a good bet


I saved a few Popsicle wrappers a few times but never had enough to send away for anything. The wrappers were always super sticky and attracted ants like crazy, and held onto little bits of gravel. Then the goopy stuff got all over your hands and you just threw the wrapper out.



And as if on cue, after we finished our treats and were on our way home, an ice cream truck drove right by us. Look! Rockets right there on the back of the truck. Taunting me.
*shaking fist in the air*
Phooey.


BUT NO POPSICLES!


more on Popsicle Pete:  

25 comments:

jessica said...

I loved the orange, lime grape and blue best in that order! I can't believe you dissed the iconic orange in favor of the watery mess that was barely even the color of chocolate. Still - great post, comics and all!

Anonymous said...

I too have always wondered what happened to the chocolate popsicle. I did find them in Canada many years ago but not sure if they are still making them.

Anonymous said...

How I miss the chocolate Popsicle and the banana ones too. I was sick a couple years ago and all I wanted was to have a cherry and an orang Popsicle. My husband went to the store and brought home Popsicle brand but-----they are now 10% fruit juice and lack the wonderful flavor of the original. If something's not broke why fix it????

Anonymous said...

In 2006 or 2007 I found the chocolate popsicle in a truck stop at the junction of highways 6 and 13 in saskatchewan. I drove by again this year but the store is closed down... Chocolate was best then orange, and green

Anonymous said...

I loved the chocolate popsicles most of all! They were common-place in the 1960's in southern Ontario, Canada. My wife doesn't believe they ever existed and thinks I made it all up! The only yucky flavours were root beer and lemon! Orange and Cherry were among the best! Great page - thanks for the walk down memory lane!

Anonymous said...

Modern marketing genius's know nothing, and should not have messed with perfection.
I think Neilson's may have made them in Canada for a while.
Lime and Orange were my faves, along with Pure Spring Cola.
I'm on the look out for an old fashioned shape twin pop mould.
Will make my own!
1OldBuzzard

ChocoGirl said...

It's 3 years since this was written and again, I am another person in a heat wave craving the chocolate popsicle of my youth! So glad I stumbled after much searching on this - but how horrible to read - 'discontinued in 1987'!!!!!! Yikes!!!! Is it too late to grieve? I think not! Chocolate popsicles were the best!

frankamaphone said...

Oh yes, the chocolate Popsicle. Best flavor, even better than banana. Loved both in Saskatchewan and southern Ontario in the 80s, Popsicles are not at all the same now. Used to be delicious, now just cheap imitations... And no chocolate :(

frankamaphone said...

"Lived" not "loved" :)

Anonymous said...

I too found them in Canada many years ago after they were discontinued in the U.S. Will need to keep my eyes open for them next time I go over the border.

Kait said...

Was talking about these popsicles the other night. My wife kept saying they are Fudgesicles. I was saying NO they are POPSICLES, there is a difference. I totally forgot about the banana flavoured ones. Grew up eating them in Calgary, AB. As far as I know you can't get them anywhere anymore. All you can get is the sugar-free one on a stick deals now.

Jo-Anne said...

I cannot believe this. Live in Ottawa Canada and swear there is no way it has been 31 years since I ate a popsicle. I Thought I bought one just a year or two ago.

Chocolate, banana, cherry, lime, root beer, orange, lemon, red-white-blue, there was a white one that was good too but maybe that was the lime flavour? Was there a green? Last on my list was grape.

I am sure we had these in Canada within the last few years.

We should start a campaign to bring them.

The reasons for getting rid seem ridiculous. It's not like the others wouldn't give kids sticky fingers. Put half in the fridge.. The ones in the stores now are disgusting!

Unknown said...

I miss the chocolate popsicle as well, the best thing was you had a chance to win a free popsicle if it show it up on the popsicle stick. Popsicle Pete I think it was maybe a different brand but still was fun at the time when you would win one!

Unknown said...

I think it's just that they could make more money selling fudgesicles and then the other higher-priced and ones for way too much than it's worth.

JoeM said...

The classics, still available in Eastern Canada...

https://scotsburn.com/page/branded_products/category/single_serve_novelties/product_line/traditional_favourites/

JoeM said...

Also

https://www.chapmans.ca/Products/OnaStick/#ChocolateLolly

Tammy’s ideas. said...

Can we all get together and ask to have them relaunch the classic popcycles??
Chocolate popcycles mmmmmmm.
10cents. I always got 10 for $1 no tax!
OMG BANANA! Totally forgot!! I loved loved those to!
PLEASE BRING BACK THE CLASSICS ♥️🙏🙏♥️

Tammy’s ideas. said...

Still trying to wrap my head around why they discontinued them. ( moms complaining about them being too messy)
???!!!!!!!???
REALLY??!!

JoeM said...

Literally sitting here right now, no joke, enjoying a Chapman's banana lolly ("popsicle") Had chocolate yesterday. Yup, as good as the memories :)

Anonymous said...

Thought I was the only one wishing for chocolate popsicles. Had them in western PA as a kid. 5 cents! Got us through the hot summers. Definatley a difference between chocolate popsicles and fudgesicles. Fudgesicles are so much sweeter. YUCK... May have to try makings my own. I remember them tasting like a frozen Yoo Hoo on a stick. Everyone go buy some Yoo Hoo and make some!

karen.j.cosme said...

WOW! Can't remember which rabbit hole got me here. I must have been thinking pink - that was my favorite twin pop flavor of all. I did love root beer and "the lowly orange", but PINK! I fell in love with that pale ice-pink color. I don't know what flavor it was - passion fruit? - but it definitely wasn't lemonade. I don't remember a chocolate and I didn't see single popsicles until after high school (late '70s). Thanks for the memories!

Unknown said...

Grape were truly the piece de resistance of the popsicle age

Unknown said...

I've also been missing the chocolate and banana popsicles. Has it really been 33 years since being discontinued, was sure I'd had one maybe 10 years ago...now all I see is Fudgesicles.

Acadia_ca said...

I think that was cream soda. The white one was Sprite.

Anonymous said...

i have been craving root beer and spearmint those were my favorite ones.why do companies always screw up and stop making ,the good ones?