SUMMER'S LAST LICKS FRUIT POPS LET YOU SQUEEZE OUT ALL THE FLAVOR OF THE SEASON.

Byline: A.K. WHITNEY

>LA.COM 

When you're a kid and there's no beach or swimming pool or sprinkler in sight on a sweltering August day, you know there is a great way to cool down -- just have an ice pop. Whether you buy it at a corner store or get it from the ice cream truck circling your block, it is always a bonus if it's rocket-shaped, bubble-gum flavored and turns your tongue a bright green.

Food that turns the tongue different colors is not going to be as appealing to adults, but luckily these sweet frozen confections have gone upscale. Like cupcakes, mac and cheese, and pot roast, ice pops -- or frozen fruit bars, as they are also called -- are being marketed to adults.

Just take a walk down the frozen-food aisle at stores like Whole Foods and Wild Oats, and you will find shelves of ice pops clearly aimed at adult palates, with interesting flavors like guava and watermelon.

Los Angeles-based company Palapa Azul has been producing such ice pops for several years and offers nine flavors ranging from strawberry to the more exotic cucumber chili. Its ice pops, or paletas, come in packs of four and cost $3.99 a box.

As sophisticated as Palapa Azul's products may seem, however, anyone who has spent any time in Mexico is familiar with paletas as street food. Paleteros, the men who make the paletas, sell them in shops or stands called paleterias. A paleteria often sits next to or is part of a shop that sells fresh fruit juices, called aguas frescas. Paletas are enjoyed by all ages, and usually paleterias are small businesses handed down from father to son, with family recipes guarded jealously.

Thanks to a large Mexican population, Los Angeles County has a few paleterias of its own, started by immigrants who brought their ice pop-making craft with them.

Jesus Fernandez Sr. started Paleteria La Mexicana on Pacific Avenue in Long Beach in 1983.

His father was a paletero in Mexico, and Fernandez began learning how to make paletas at age 10. When he moved to the United States, going into that business seemed a good move.

Even after 24 years in business, Paleteria La Mexicana is still housed in a small room crowded with freezers. Customers are encouraged to grab a cardboard box and help themselves. All fruit pops are 50 cents, and cream pops are 70 cents. Paleteria La Mexicana calls its wares Popi, and Fernandez said they offer almost 30 flavors. These flavors range from lemon, strawberry and orange to tamarind, ronpope (Mexican eggnog), hibiscus, rice and nut. There are also blended fruit bars. Quite a few bars are spiked with chili.

"We use fresh fruit, fresh fruit juice," Fernandez said.

All products are made on site, from family recipes, Fernandez said. He still works the counter but has turned management over to his son, Jesus Fernandez Jr.

The next generation is already putting a new twist on the business he built, Fernandez said. A Web site is in the works, and many of the Popi labels now contain nutritional information. The family hopes to put its Popis into larger markets next.

Monica Ulloa grew up in Monrovia but developed a taste for paletas when she visited family in Mexico. A year ago, she opened La Mich Paleteria in Duarte.

"I missed eating paletas -- and wanted to bring a product to the Latino market that reminds them of Mexico and to introduce it to non-Latinos," she said.

Now she sells about 200 paletas a day. Her three top-selling flavors are mamey (tropical fruit), spicy mango (salty/sweet-tasting with chili powder) and strawberry. "We put a lot of fruit in them and don't use artificial flavorings."

Ice pops can also be fun to make at home. The recipes that follow have a grown-up twist but can certainly be made more kid-friendly. Try one before or after you hit the Slip 'n Slide.

A.K. Whitney, [phone];

[e-mail]

Natalie Haughton contributed to this report.

LEMON LAVENDER FRUIT BARS

3 cups water

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon lavender blossoms (see note)

1 cup lemon juice

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine water, sugar and lavender blossoms. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Boil mixture for exactly 5 minutes. Allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then strain into a bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add lemon juice. Cover and chill for several hours. Pour into molds, freeze overnight. To unmold pops, put mold into hot water for about 10 seconds.

To make this recipe more kid-friendly, omit the lavender.

Makes about 10 pops.

Note: Lavender plants can be bought at many local garden centers. If you buy dried lavender blossoms, make sure they are meant for cooking. The kind used for potpourri are usually dyed. Natural lavender can usually be found in organic food stores.

ORANGE GINGER FRUIT BARS

2 cups water

3/4 cup sugar

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled

1 cup orange juice

Juice of 1 lemon

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine water, sugar and ginger. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Boil mixture for exactly 5 minutes. Allow mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then strain into a bowl. Allow to cool to room temperature. Add orange and lemon juices. Cover and chill for several hours. Pour into molds, freeze overnight. To unmold pops, put mold into hot water for about 10 seconds.

To make this recipe more kid-friendly, simply omit the ginger.

Makes about 8 pops.

HIBISCUS ICE POPS

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups hibiscus blossom tea, strongly brewed (see note)

Juice of 1 large lemon

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Boil mixture for exactly 5 minutes.

Take mixture off heat, allow to cool to room temperature. Add hibiscus tea and lemon juice. Cover and chill for several hours. Pour into molds, freeze overnight. To unmold pops, put mold into hot water for about 10 seconds.

Makes about 8 pops.

Note: Hibiscus blossoms can be found at Mexican markets, either powdered or whole. If using whole blossoms, use about 1/2 cup. If using powder, use about 2 tablespoons. Pour boiling water over the hibiscus and allow to steep until liquid is a deep reddish purple. Strain into another container and allow to cool completely before using.

STRAWBERRY MERLOT FRUIT BARS

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups fresh ripe strawberries, pureed through a sieve or food mill

2 tablespoons merlot wine

In a 2-quart saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring just until sugar dissolves. Boil mixture for exactly 5 minutes.

Take mixture off heat, allow to cool to room temperature. Add strawberries and merlot. Cover and chill for several hours. Pour into molds, freeze overnight. To unmold pops, put mold into hot water for about 10 seconds.

Makes about 8.

To make recipe kid-friendly, replace merlot with 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

>want an ice pop?

Palapa Azul and other brands of frozen pops are available at many Whole Foods, Wild Oats and Vallarta markets. Here are a few locations that specialize in paletas.

LONG BEACH

Paleteria La Mexicana 1864 Pacific Ave. [phone].

LOS ANGELES

Mateo's Ice Cream & Fruti Bars 4222 W. Pico Blvd. [phone].

Also located in West Covina and Culver City 

DUARTE

La Mich Paleteria 1026 Huntington Drive [phone].

>A.K.W.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Assorted gourmet popsicles from Long Beach's La Paleteria Mexicana.

(2 -- color) Prefer to make your pops at home? Then try orange ginger and lemon lavender fruit bars.

(3 -- 4 -- color) Mango chili and pineapple ice pops, above, are just two of the nine flavors made by Los Angeles-based Palapa Azul, whose confections cater to adult palates. At top are a selection of gourmet ice pops made by Paleteria La Mexicana of Long Beach.

Photos by Steven Georges>LA.COM

Box:

> want an ice pop? (see text)