Walking the charming cobblestone streets of St Augustine in the hot Florida sun, the heat sort of clings to you like an overzealous relative.

Turning the corner I see through my cheap sunglasses, tourists and locals alike lined up around the block.

Little children are scampering about with popsicles in hand grinning as the stickiness makes a break for their elbows.

It’s a popsicle paradise called Hyppo’s Gourmet Ice Pops.   

Now these aren’t your run-of-the-mill freezer-burned neon colored popsicles, that you cherished from childhood.

Nope, each popsicle is lovingly handcrafted, a really masterful creation combining fruits, spices, herbs and even a dash of daring to walk on the wild side of desserts.

The Hyppo is “the place” to cool down.

It’s a gourmet popsicle emporium,  a place where the marriage of frosty delights and culinary innovation is celebrated daily.

From the creamy decadence of ripe avocado flecked with bits of coconut, to the zesty tang of Key Lime.

These aren’t your garden variety frozen treats.

Using a blend of fresh local ingredients,  most of the pops are even below a hundred calories.

Your tongue comes alive with each lick of the feisty tropical sweetness.

It’s like a party on a stick.

Flavors like blackberry mango, pink grapefruit, strawberries with cream, blueberry cheesecake, pineapple cilantro, datil pepper plum, strawberry basil, mango mojito and this week’s favorite – peanut butter pie. 

Hyppo has expanded into pop-ups and food trucks, and now the pops are sold at retail all over North Florida.

They make over 600 different flavors and are priced from $3,75 up.

Producing around 30,000 pops a week, these guys are making a killing. 

We all have our childhood memories of hearing the sounds of the ice cream truck and chasing it down for a sweet treat, but baby there’s some new Pops in town, and its right off Route 1.