WACO, Texas — In Hispanic culture, there are several sweet traditions that have been around for years.
One local Hispanic-owned business is keeping their culture alive with a refreshing treat.
“Tres leches, nuez, coconut, strawberry-lime — it just varies from everything," Eduardo Garcia said.
For 20 years, 'Helados La Azteca' on Franklin in Waco has been making its very own paletas from scratch.
“A lot of people can’t go to Mexico, and we bring that little slice of Mexico here to Waco,” Eduardo said.
Alfredo Garcia and his son Eduardo make more than 3,000 paletas a day.
“People come and ask me, 'Are you working?', but I'm having fun, because I enjoy it and I feel happy making paletas,” Alfredo Garcia said.
Alfredo is from Jalisco in Mexico.
He says in his city of Mexiticacan, paletas are a tradition that blends Hispanic culture and community.
“It’s a tradition to know how to bag and make the paletas by hand, because yes, there are machines, but the paleta we sell and with my people here, we have a fun time and it just wouldn’t be the same any other way,” Alfredo Garcia said.
Making the perfect paleta starts with picking the flavor and putting it into the mold.
“The mold then goes in the tank — the tank has a liquid that freezes the popsicles faster than just a regular freezer," Eduardo Garcia said.
Next they place the popsicle stick into the mold, and wait 15 minutes for them to freeze.
“Then we put it in hot water to release the popsicles from the mold, and then we bag the popsicles right behind us."
Eduardo has been bagging popsicles since he was 8-years-old.
Now he and his brother have expanded their paleta business across Texas.
“It means the most to be able to one follow in my fathers footsteps and to be able to share my culture," Eduardo said.
"I wasn’t fortunate enough to be born in Mexico, but I have very strong roots from Mexico, so it’s a big pride of mine to have parents from Mexico and be able to carry this tradition to everywhere in the United States one day, hopefully," Eduardo said.
Alfredo told 25 News that years ago, paletas were sold from paleteros who would walk the streets selling popsicles from carts, just like the one he has in his store.
