Boozy Bourbon Peach Pops

Many summers ago I found myself in Italy with one of my favorite humans, Jill Laub.  So much joy fills my bones when I think about our train rides and carafe’s of vino by the beach.  I will spare the ridiculous details of me ripping an enormous hole in the rear of my swimsuit while sun bathing on a rock.  Because quickly after, I wore a towel around my waist, ate seafood by the sea and washed it all down with white wine.  I didn’t mind much after that.

Before our Italian summer adventure, we became friends in New York.  I was new to the city, and in dire need of a friend.  The moment I saw Jill in dance class, I wanted to know her.  I spent months thinking she didn’t like me, until she invited me to a night of poetry, wine, and “just bad dancing” impressions at her place.  I woke up on her futon, to find the Napoleon Dynamite DVD menu on repeat.  I walked back home, with that intro theme song ingrained in my head, smitten with my new cool, creative, down to earth, no bs, friend.  More great memories were made but then seasons changed and I left for Portland.  A few years later, she left for LA.

As I made these bourbon peach pops, memories of Jill came flooding back to me.  I don’t ever remember having bourbon and  peaches in New York or Italy, let alone with Jill, but her presence was stained all over this recipe.  Maybe it’s the 50’s vintage polka dot suit I wore that summer in Italy, which in some odd way, makes me think of bourbon.  Or maybe it’s a foreshadowing of memories that will be made in our near future.  I am anticipating seeing her so very soon and I am thinking about how much has changed since we last met up.  We used to dream about the “one days” and now those “one days,”are our todays.  Jill used to paint a picture of what motherhood would look like for me.  We would laugh long and hard about how I might look or act in certain situations surrounding parenthood.  Whenever I feel like the misfit, hippie, Mama, I remember Jill’s impression of me and I am filled with a humble confidence.  She reminds me that I am not supposed to fit, I am supposed to just be me.

So, while I have no idea if Jill even likes bourbon, I am eating these pops and thinking about all of the things I love about her.  Her confidence and loyalty, as well as her ability to make a million and one things she is passionate about, all come together, all at the same time, and extremely well, are just a few things I admire.  The girl is talented.  I picture what it would look like if we were together right now.  Surely we would split the batch, perform some killer jazz walks and probably start writing poems about sunflowers, while in our hoodies and underwear.  Maybe that sounds weird.  Or maybe that’s just what old dance friends do. Either way, these boozy pops will knock your socks off! A must eat treat for this summer. Seriously.

Boozy Bourbon Peach Pops

6 popsicle molds

1 1/2 lbs. ripe yellow peaches (5-6 small peaches)

1 1/4 cup whole fat plain yogurt

1/3 cup raw local honey

1/3 cup bourbon whisky

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Peel peaches and place in a food processor or blender.  Add yogurt, honey, bourbon and vanilla, and blend until smooth.  Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 4 hours or until frozen.  When you’re ready to eat, run warm water over the pops and gently pull.

Advertisement