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PALETAS – THE MEXICAN TREAT Culinary history on a refreshing stick. words Oswaldo Oliva
if your spanish is limited and your only experience of Mexico is Acapulco, you almost certainly don’t have a clue what paletas are, let alone their importance to Mexican culture. ‘Paleta’ comes from the word palo, which literally means ‘stick’. In Mexico, paletas are simply ice lollipops; delicious treats made with the freshest seasonal fruits, frozen in moulds with a wooden stick. For me they bring up the most colourful childhood memories. It triggers synaesthesia that makes me feel the softness of fruity flavors and the juiciness of vivid colors. It is one of those impossible-toexplain sensations, perhaps because each culture has its own icons that memory holds on to. There are two kinds of paletas – paletas de agua, which are waterbased, and paletas de leche which are milk-based. I prefer paletas de agua – they are the perfect illustration of how a few well-selected ingredients can produce a wide spectrum of flavours with incredible intensity. Regardless of what the base is made from, paletas invariably contain a lot of fresh fruit. Popular flavours are lemon, watermelon, tamarind, orange and mango, but there are also more exotic flavors like mamey (with a creamy, pink-fleshed fruit); cajeta (goat’s-milk caramel); rice with milk; chilli pepper; rompope (an egg-based alcoholic drink), and even flowers like hibiscus and rose. Some paletas are studded with chunks of fruit or chilli, or have a silky petal texture or crunchiness from nuts. So is a Mexican paleta simply a kind of ice-cream? No, our paletas come from a very old tradition.
Legend goes that they originally were made from snow collected at the base of the Mexican volcanoes Popocateptl (‘the mountain that smokes’) and Iztaccíhuatl (‘the white woman’). Back in the days when weather was colder, and global warming wasn’t an issue, these volcanoes would be covered in snow from top to bottom. It was just a short walk from the surrounding villages to collect snow to refrigerate food. Paletas are now an integral part of Mexican tradition; a cultural legacy we
from one region to another. Paletas have been adapted to the taste of each community, embracing the sweet, sour, spicy and salty flavours Mexicans love. Paletas are sold from carts in the streets and in paleterias, shops equipped with glass-fronted freezers from which you can glimpse their rainbow colours, aligned in perfect rows. Every Mexican has fond memories of standing in paleterias trying to decide on a flavour. Amazingly, most small-town paleterias are still family-run. Every family member is involved in some part of the production, from buying ripe fruit from local markets or
“I prefer paletas de agua – they are the perfect illustration of how a few well-selected ingredients can produce a wide spectrum of flavours with incredible intensity.”
have passed on from generation to generation, and now iconic pieces of Mexican gastronomy. In their true form they are the simplest representation of the highquality standards pursued by modern cooking; only in this case it is not about thinking of creative ways to use great ingredients, it is simply about using them in an optimum way for the true flavours of the fruit to stand out. In Mexico, paletas mirror the seasonal changes as well as the landscape. Every town has its own unique recipe and ingredients vary
peeling, chopping and preparing the recipe, to selling them. Whether they represent the purest expression of seasonal fruit or the essence of Mexican folklore, or, indeed, the mirror of a society, paletas have to be tried and tasted, preferably in Mexico. Escape from the afternoon heat in a paleteria, choose your favourite and take a bite of Mexican history. o s w a L D o o L i va is part of the creative team of mugaritz restaurant. he is originally from mexico city. he has a passion for food, science and the observation of culinary culture. oswaldo’s favorite paletas de agua flavour is strawberry.
MISTER MISCHIONE Beppe Palmieri is not your ordinary wine-pushing-dude. Thirty-seven years old, immaculately tailored, he serves what are, without doubt, the most interesting and unusual wines in Italy. But he doesn’t stop there; he also creates his own unorthodox blends! “The idea is to take a big wine from Germany that’s not ready, like a young German Riesling, and mix it with a smoky Italian Sauvignon from Veneto – Vulcania Fumé.” The result is indeed very good. And unusual. Maybe even crazy. Beppe continues: “It could be a disaster, but if you ‘drink’ with your brain, your mental palate, you know what will happen! You know, the Krug family they have spent all their life blending! Innovation comes from tradition.” b e P P e P a L m i e r i is sommelier at osteria francescana, modena. Juventino, with a great heart, two hamsters and a love for champagne.