`Paleteros' Keep Things Cool On Streets Of Yakima Valley With Mexican Treats

TOPPENISH, Yakima County - On a recent warm afternoon, a faint tooting distracts a shirtless boy playing in his fenced yard. Jumping to his feet, he takes to his tiptoes in an attempt to pinpoint the horn's location.

"El paletero, el paletero," he says under his breath as he runs inside the house. Seconds later he reappears with a younger boy at his heels.

Whether it's a ringing bell or a tooting horn, the familiar sidewalk sounds signal the approach of the Mexican street vendors selling "paletas," frozen fruit bars also sold on the streets in Mexico.

As the paletero nears, the boys call out excitedly, opening their fists to reveal the coins in their hands. A fruit bar costs 75 cents.

There are a dozen flavors to choose from including cherry, rice, maple nut, mango, banana and "tamarindo," made from the pods of the tropical tamarind tree in Mexico. Most paletas are made with real fruit, said paletero Hector Chavez in a translated interview.

Rogelio Dominguez, 27, another paletero, offers 15 flavors including watermelon, guayaba and chocolate.

Most of the paleteros' customers are Mexican, Dominguez said through a translator.

"Americans don't know what paletas taste like," explained Chavez. "But after they try it, they become customers."

While most of his customers are children, Chavez said, the adults who buy "prefer paletas to American ice cream."

Nine-year-old Richard Cortez does, too. "These taste better," he said, licking a maple-nut paleta. "These are different."

Working from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., April through July, Chavez makes his way around Toppenish three times each day. On a hot day, he sells about 285 paletas, he said. June is the busiest month.

Dominguez, of Pasco, sells 200 paletas on a good day.

Dominguez, who works for the Pasco-based company La Jalpita, said his company has a vendor in each town from Prosser to Wapato. On Sundays, he said, there are two.

Chavez is one of two paleteros in Toppenish who work for the Sunnyside company La Nortena. La Nortena vendors are in every town from Wapato to Grandview.

"Everyone has their own town," said Chavez. "You can't go into anyone else's town."

Before local distributors set up shop, paletas were brought in from California. La Nortena paletas are not sold in area grocery stores, though the company stocks some stores in Oregon, Chavez said.

This is Chavez's third season with La Nortena, where he earns about $250 a week. To support his wife and two children, he has two jobs.

"Early in the morning I cut asparagus in Mabton," he said. He stops selling paletas in late July.

Meanwhile, Dominguez plans to continue selling throughout the summer months. "This is the only job I have right now," he said.