On the East End, a paleta palooza beats the heat
There are lots of fun ways to cool down when you want to be outside and that end-of-summer heat beats your brow — a dip in the bay, a breezy bike ride, a cold glass of iced tea with a squeeze of lemon. But for a sweet treat on a stick, you can’t beat a fruity, frozen paleta.
What’s a paleta, you ask? The best, freshest popsicle you’ve ever had. Originating in Mexico, the word translates to mean “small stick,” but it’s so much more than that. Often made with fresh, ripe fruit and a little water or juice to help freeze the treat into a popsicle-like shape, they often have fresh herbs or spices, and sometimes even a creamy component depending on the maker.
If you’re looking to beat the heat with a cool-down treat, these three paleta pros have got you covered:
KPops, 16 St. Mary’s Road, Shelter Island
Although Karen Garcia Springer is from Costa Rica originally, she draws her cool-pop inspiration from her parents, who have run ice cream shops in her native country for over two decades. “I make them all myself,” says the entrepreneurial Islander, who also runs a little boutique, Kanela Studio. “I try to make them all vegan and gluten-free. I do have two flavors that contain dairy: coconut and cookies and cream.” Garcia Springer sells them out of her funky powder-blue 1972 Volkswagen bus at 16 St. Mary’s Road, as well as at the Shelter Island Farmers Market, the Sylvester Manor Farm Stand and Sunset Beach Hotel for $5 a pop, in flavors like kiwi, pineapple, soursop (a tropical fruit which is not sour at all, and so darned delicious) and berries and cream.
Dos Ositos Paletas, Southold
Founded in 2020 by Kristian and Brae Iglesias, husband-and-wife duo Rob Howie and Bianca Munguia-Howie took over this paletas-powered brand last year, using traditional Mexican flavors with the added twist of Rob’s spot-on flavor-forward creations (he also bartends at Brix and Rye and knows a thing or two about the balance of flavors). There’s a trio of basic flavors, all selling for $5 a paleta — strawberries and cream, coconut and lemon-lime — with a special limited-edition option rolled out every couple of weeks, like piña colada, grapefruit and cinnamon, mango and Chile, and orange creamsicle. “All of our paletas are 100% vegan and natural. We source our ingredients locally when we can, but travel as far as Brooklyn to get the best ingredients,” says Bianca. They have a cart for catering events, but you can also find their paletas at Sang Lee Farms, Bread and Butter Market, 1943 Pizza, Greenport Harbor Brewery and Croteaux Vineyards. And if you ask nicely, they’ll even do delivery!
North Fork Shack, 41150 Rte. 48, Southold
Samy Sabil is always creating something, be it his popular lunch and supper options, his organic Samy’s Sauces and now paletas. In flavors like fresh peach, watermelon, Greek yogurt and berries and lime, they’re a fruit-packed burst of flavor in every lick and bite. “All of the juices are made fresh at The Shack every week!,” says Sabil, who sells his paletas for $4 a chilly treat.
