Amanda Stone: Paletas a great summer treat

Amanda Stone

Fish tacos are a fresh, healthy summer dinner staple. Globe | Amanda Stone

Last-day-of-school tradition calls for a frozen treat, so I patted myself on the back when I remembered our local Hispanic markets have the goods. My arm was cramping pretty badly by the time we left from all the back patting, because not only did I win frozen treat time, but I also scored on dinnertime.

Carthage has several markets, and I can honestly recommend all of them. Due to proximity and the fresh fruit stand located inside, La Tiendita ranks pretty high. On this last day of school celebratory trip, my teen selected a pistachio paleta as her frozen treat. Translating paleta to "popsicle" doesn't do it justice. We need an elevated word for this delight, because paletas are made with fresh fruit like mango, lime, strawberry and pineapple, or with condensed milk for creamy pops of coconut, chocolate and banana. They’re so delicious.

So, yes, it's worth it to skip a drive-thru when having a frozen treat to go inside a Hispanic market and pore over the delicious flavors. Once inside, you’ll want to grab a basket. On this quick paleta trip, I managed to grab three bunches of cilantro, an enormous avocado, four limes and my own favorite summer treat: a fruit cup packed with spears of mango, watermelon, cantaloupe and cucumber all doused in chamoy (salty, sweet, sour sauce) and sprinkled with Tajin (seasoning from chilis, lime and salt). The cup was so toweringly full that they dumped it in a quart-sized plastic bag and handed me a fork. Heaven.

Unfortunately, it was too late in the day to get homemade corn tortillas, but I peeked inside the cooler where they’re stored anyway. Just in case. The guy at the register just smiled and gave me a look that said, "Nice try, but you know the fresh tortillas are long gone by afternoon." I will always look, and if they are there, a stack all warm and wrapped will come home with me.

A note on avocados: If you are buying them anywhere other than a local Hispanic market, you are missing out. The avocados at our big grocery stores do not compare. Do yourself this favor. You are worth it. If you prefer to live in ignorance with your small grocery store avocados, OK. Ignorance is bliss. But if you are curious about how an avocado could be better than it already is, take action. Grab a paleta while you’re there.

My intentions were to make fish tacos that night with my haul, and share my precious fruit cup on the side. Fortunately, the grand avocado needed a day to soften, so I ended up being the sole enjoyer of the fruit cup over the following 24 hours. No regrets.

Try this recipe to get a taste of what our local markets have to offer. Fish tacos are a fresh, healthy summer dinner staple.

1 ½ pounds cod, pollock, tilapia or other flaky white fish

½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Corn tortillas

1 avocado, diced

Lime wedges, for serving

Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, for serving

Slaw:

2 cups shredded Napa cabbage

1 cup chopped romaine or other leafy greens

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Lime juice, to taste

Salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place fish on sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. In the meantime, toss together slaw ingredients. Heat a skillet over medium heat, and warm the tortillas for a few seconds on each side. Place warm tortillas on a plate, covered with a damp, clean towel. When fish is cooked, use a fork to flake. Serve warm tortillas topped with fish and slaw, with extra cilantro, lime and sour cream on the side.

Amanda Stone is a food and gardening columnist for The Joplin Globe. Email questions to [email protected] or mail her c/o The Joplin Globe, P.O. Box 7, Joplin, MO 64802.

Amanda Stone

Check joplinglobe.com/polls for past results.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.