Fans of Whisk’s ice pops will be excited to know that their favorite treats are popping up in more locations. Poptimism, a new “ice pop truck” from Whisk: A Sustainable Bakeshopowner Kaylen Wissinger, is hitting the streets in St. Louis this week.
Poptimism, a retrofitted 1984 AM General postal truck dubbed “Toto,” is the latest extension of Wissinger’s ice pop journey. In 2012, Wissinger took a trip to Nashville where she was inspired by gourmet ice pops. She opened Whisk the same year, and soon started to sell ice pops at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market.
The pops were such a hit that Wissinger realized she had a market for an ice pop truck. It took a while for her to get the project off the ground, though.
“We had wanted to do the truck a long time ago and the timing was never right. Either we didn’t have the money or time. But we’ve grown enough at this point that it felt like the right thing to do,” Wissinger says.
Poptimism’s pops are made with local, seasonal ingredients and come in a variety of flavors. Pop enthusiasts can expect to see old favorites such as avocado, cucumber lime, and mocha at the truck. Summer flavors will include peach basil, watermelon, sweet corn, concord grape, blackberry goat cheese, and blueberries and cream. Wissinger is also playing with a gooseberry flavor after getting a shipment of the berries, she says.
Wissinger and her husband, an “unofficial” owner of the truck, brainstormed for a while about a name and settled on Poptimism. The name is inspired by people’s faces when they eat Whisk popsicles, Wissinger says.
“People’s faces change and it’s this sweet childhood nostalgia. Even though we have tough days I consider myself an optimist at heart. It felt right to name the truck after such a positive joyful experience. We need that in this world,” she says.
Poptimism will roll into the Tuesday Tower Grove Farmers’ Market every week from 4–8 p.m., as well as the Sunday Boulevard Farmers’ Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The truck can also pop up at events. It will make its first major event appearance this Saturday at Tower Grove Pride. Poptimism will also be at the August and September Food Truck Friday in Tower Grove Park.
“Keep an eye out for us at future events and festivals,” Wissinger says.
Article originally posted by STLMag
