Keep Austin Chilled
Where to go for sweet relief from the heat
Fri., July 1, 2005
Paletas
A giant paleta monument sits at the entrance to the small city of Tocumbo, Michoacán, the birthplace of Mexico's most popular frozen treats on a stick. After all, paletas have put this small Western Mexico town on the map and sustained its economic development. Paletas are Mexican popsicles; they can be cream- or water-based, and they're usually made with fresh fruits. Among the cream-based flavors are the classic vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, to name a few. The fresh fruit flavors, such as watermelon, lime, and cantaloupe, are water-based.
Thanks to the growth of the Mexican population in Texas, Austinites can enjoy these refreshing treats. For a long time now, the hand-pushed carts of La Super Michoacana have been selling paletas for $1 apiece in some neighborhoods, especially those with Mexican populations. These paletas are made by Adolfo Alvarado and his family at the factory on East Fourth using all natural fruits, but are only sold by independent contractors who push the aforementioned carts. If you see one as you drive around, honk the horn and pull over. They'll be happy to give you curbside service. The creamy piña colada, the silky rice (think of it as frozen horchata), and the unique pepino con chile (cucumber with lime and chile) are my favorites.
If you don't want to take your chances finding these guys, you can visit Austin's first actual paletería (paleta store). La Paletera (515 S. Congress, 374-0555; 1100 Center Ridge Dr. #360, 670-2616; 5341-A Cameron) is a fast-growing franchise that started when Mexican-born Corpus Christi resident Amy Salazar opened a humble stand that sold freshly made paletas and fruit cups with lime juice and powdered chile piquín. Her business proved successful, and La Paletera franchises are now popping up all over Texas. While the concept is not a new one, especially in South Texas and San Antonio, where there are many other paleterías and fruterías, La Paletera made the crossover successful by offering something for everyone in a clean, colorful, and modern environment.
La Paletera boasts some 20 flavors daily ($1.29), both cream- and water-based, including the standards plus some very unique must-try options. Among the water-based paletas, tamarindo is a Mexican staple, tangy, tropical, and very refreshing. My husband always teases me that Mexicans will eat anything as long as it has lime and chile on it, and this is not far from the truth. I love the combination of sweet fruit with tart lime juice and spicy chile, and when it comes to paletas, mango con chile is just my style. But my absolute favorite is chamoy, a flavor popular in Mexico that comes from Chinese-style pickled apricots. It is bright red, mouth-puckering tart, and a bit spicy, with just a hint of fruitiness.
My favorite among the cream-based flavors is cajeta de membrillo. The creamy cajeta ice cream is laced with a thin slice of dulce de membrillo, the quince paste popular in Spain and Latin America. It is to die for. The leche quemada, another name for dulce de leche, is a similar flavor. The strawberry cheesecake paleta has creamy strawberry ice cream covered with cheesecake ice cream. The chemis uses the same technique, only with water-based strawberry over vanilla. There are many other great flavors, so go often and try them all.
For Mexican-inspired gelato flavors that are not on a stick, check out Indie Pop Cool Treats (2310 S. Lamar, 804-0480). This groovy South Austin gelato shop often serves flavors like tamarindo, mango, and more, made by the folks at Dolce Vita. – Claudia Alarcón
