At Paletas Betty on Mill, Fresh Fruit and Unique Preparation Blend into Frozen Bliss

If you've ever visited Mexico, you might've noticed that they're fresh fruit enthusiasts. Fruit stands can be found anywhere. Fresh ripe mangos are sold on sticks, fruit juices are squeezed to order, and there's always someone nearby selling frozen fruit pops (paletas) on a hot summer day.

"I grew up with paletas my whole life, and then when my family moved to the States, they were so hard to find like I remembered them," said Betty Alatorre De Hong, who was born and raised in Michoacán, Mexico.

Her desire to chase after and capture the nostalgia of her youth led her to open Paletas Betty, with her husband, in downtown Chandler last summer. The success of that shop has led to the opening of their second location on the corner of Mill Avenue and Fifth Street.

Using her mother's and grandmother's recipes as a starting point, Betty began making arroz con leche and Mexican chocolate paletas. These were joined by other classic paleta flavors such as strawberry, mango and pecan.

Betty's are all handmade and the work that goes into making them is obvious in the wonderful paletas she makes on a daily basis.

The creative process for coming up with new and exciting flavor combinations starts when she goes shopping for produce. She works strictly with fruits and vegetables that are in season. Once the season is over, so is that particular paleta.

"She goes to the market almost every day and picks whatever speaks to her," said Alvin Hong, her husband. It was this very process that inspired one of their newest flavors, brandied cherries in an almond base. "She just came home with cherries, and said, ‘what am I going to do with these?'"

Making everything from scratch is their biggest source of pride. Customers may want the addition of coconut or pumpkin out of season, but Betty and Alvin refuse to use dried coconut flakes and canned pumpkin.

They insist on grinding whole spices, roasting nuts on their own, and even making their own graham cracker crust for the key lime pie paleta. In fact, it is the lengthy process that goes into making every paleta that Betty loves. She doesn't take shortcuts.

"People have a lot of preconceived notions about a Popsicle," Alvin said. "They automatically correlate it to an artificial or high fructose corn syrup, kind of gooey sweet artificial color. Everyone likes that, but it's never associated with freshness and quality."

The paleta shop encounters all kinds of customers, but the staff goes out of their way to really explain what it is that sets them apart. "We get customers that have never heard of paletas and they don't know what it is, and I think it's a lot of fun sharing and educating them on what it is," Betty said.

Opening a new shop on Mill Avenue fit in well with what Betty and Alvin wanted for Betty's Paletas. "We have our store in Chandler and also wanted to find a location that was kind of like a downtown area with a neighborhood feel to it," Betty said. "It's more personal; you get to meet more people."

Nostalgia ties in again, as Betty remembers the small towns and downtown areas in Mexico having a similar feel. She said it feels like home to her.

However, they are not tied down to either of their locations. They have a pushcart that they take to special events where they get to share their paletas to an even wider audience.

As for the seasonal flavors, the summer months bring fun flavors such as blueberries and strawberries but the colder months switch up the menu. The winter usually brings plums, apples, pears and pumpkins, which will all receive Betty's special attention before transformed into chilly treats on a stick.

Some of their more adventurous flavors, such as mango with chili powder stump certain customers, but Betty and Alvin really encourage people to have an open mind and try anything they find appealing.

It's easy to see how much love and care goes into Paletas Betty. When stopping by, even if just for a moment, it's fun to feel as if you are somewhere special in Mexico beating the heat with a fresh frozen treat.

Paletas Betty, 425 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 109, Tempe, 480.779.8080, Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.