Treat Yourself to Locally Made Ice Pops
Images by Morgan Fraser, edited by Brette Little
“Life would be very boring without people making delicious things,” owner Daniel Crossin responds when asked why Mavericks Frozen Treats exists. Launched in spring 2020, Mavericks delivers some unexpected ice pop combinations like Plum Earl Grey and Apple Sorrel, alongside elevated classics like Dark Chocolate Sea Salt and Strawberry Elderflower.
Daniel sources many ingredients from local farms, like rhubarb from Laughing Apple, strawberries from Harbour Farm and Laughing Apple, raspberries and sorrel from Foxglove, and farm-pressed apple juice. Many of these ingredients appear in short-term seasonal specials (like Apple Sorrel), whereas others are in the flagship lineup of pops (Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt, Strawberry Lemon Cream), so you’re getting a taste of Salt Spring that’s often based on what’s fresh and in season. (He’s always on the hunt for ugly fruit, so if you’re a farmer with second or third picks that you’d love to see appear in a Mavericks pop, let Daniel know!)
“Life would be very boring without people making delicious things.”
-Daniel Crossin
The flavours are fun and refreshing, and really dang good at the beach. Fan favourites include Chocolate Sea Salt and Strawberry Lemonade, while Daniel’s personal pick is the Plum Earl Grey.
As a professionally trained chef with experience in Michelin-starred restaurants like Restaurant Sat Bains, Arbutus, Wild Honey, and Jimbocho Den - plus stages at world-renowned destinations such as Noma, Saison, and Frantzén - Daniel takes great care into recipe development and production. “I worked in restaurants for a long time and the pastry section was the most interesting to me, more technical and recipe-driven compared to the savoury sections.”
The Mavericks ‘icicle tricycle,’ a colourful three-wheeled bike with a cooler compartment, can be found outside at Creekhouse (across from Beachside Cafe) in a sidewalk pop-up location on nice days this summer, and several retailers across Island also carry them. There's never been a better way to treat yourself.