NUESTRO KENTUCKY

Ringing bells as he pushes his cart, Alejandro Vasquez has a job
that keeps him on his feet. For five to nine hours a day, he provides
Cardinal Valley neighborhood children with Mexican-style paletas.

Chicago-based Paletas Emmanuel, similar to Popsicles, are available
at Mexican grocery stores in Kentucky, but last month the company began
using pushcarts to sell its 15 flavors of the frozen treats to
customers such as Giselle Rocha, 5, above.

Pushcarts are a common way of selling ice cream, cold drinks, and
even hot tamales in Mexico and Mexican neighborhoods in the United
States.

"We want to make a tradition," said Vasquez of his family’s business expansion to Lexington.

Paletas are made with real fruit, in flavors typical of Michoac‡n, a
state in Mexico. Flavors include pi–a colada, coconut, cookies and
cream, and rice, but on hot days Vasquez’s most popular favors are
strawberry, lime, pineapple, tamarind, and — of course — spicy
cucumber. The latter tastes like sugary cucumber with chili powder.

Pushing a cart around can be a tiring job, but it does have small
rewards, says Vasquez. "Even on hot days, the children put a smile on
your face," he said.Nuestro Kentucky is a monthly photo column focusing
on life in Kentucky’s growing Latino community. An increasing
population of Latinos from other countries and other parts of America
are choosing the Bluegrass to live, work and play. Each month in
Communities, a single photo explores an aspect of life in this often
overlooked population.

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