SAN ANTONIO – You may have seen their carts around town or stopped by their location at 1934 Fredericksburg. El Paraiso has been a part of San Antonio since 1984.
Owner, Jose Flores, says the idea for the name, which means a paradise, came about because many fruits can be found at these locations and all their products are made with natural fruit.
Flores perfected his recipes for paletas in Chicago. A friend of his from Mexico opened a shop there and he learned how to make the cold treat with milk and different fruits.
Ten to 12 thousand bars are made daily at El Paraiso and the process takes only about 30 minutes.
The ingredients are poured into molds and then put into a freezing machine. The water inside about 20 degrees below zero. The subzero temps make the bars freeze in about 10 minutes.
26 different flavors are made and range from mango, cookies and cream and even pickle.
For over 30 years El Paraiso paletas have been a favorite for many here in San Antonio and with the constant summer heat it is the perfect way to cool off.