Professor Phineas T. Pennypickle, the fictitious founder of the Imagination Workshop in Temecula, threw a briny bash to honor International Pickle Week on Saturday, May 23.

Children and adults alike climbed through secret passages and popped out of portals to taste an array of treats in the museum’s dinning room. Along with slices of bread and butter pickles, brave visitors sucked on green pickle pops and munched pickle-flavored potato chips.

“It tastes sour, like frozen pickles,” said Jeremiah Fulkerson, 9, as he sampled his share of a Bob’s Pickle Pop, packaged much like its fruity counterpart, the Otter Pop. Jeremiah went back for seconds and claimed to enjoy the unusual snack.

“No, I don’t like it. Do you want them?” asked Angelica Gutierrez, 8, as she offered her paper cup of Route 11 Dill Pickle Chips around the room. She reached for a cube of Pickle Pop next. “Maybe this will take out the flavor. Oh, I forgot – this is pickle, too.”

Bob’s Pickle Pops were developed in Texas and are only now making their debut in Southern California.

A mother examining the display table perked up when David Millar, co-owner of the company, explained that his pops have recently been discovered to lower blood sugar by 42 percent if eaten before a meal.

The treats are being sold in some schools as alternatives to sugary food.

“We designed these snacks for closet pickle juice drinkers,” said Millar, whose cousin, John Howard, started freezing homemade batches of pickle pops to sell at a skating rink in Texas.

The demand grew enough for them to start a business that attracted the attention of the Food Network and inspired Pickle Bot, a motorized character who helps them sell their snack food.

Children also learned how to make sweet ‘n’ sour pickles by leaving dill pickles to soak in red Kool-Aid. The party satisfied the culinary curiosities of all ages.

For pickle fans who missed the celebration, there is still pickle-flavored fare for sale at the Temecula Children’s Museum gift shop.