With the hot sun of summer just around the corner, popsicle season is upon us. My trusted team of taste testers (Jonathan Kersky, Dave Stewart, Lee Weisberger and David Monroe) traveled to Durham’s premier paleta (Mexican popsicle) purveyor, Locopops. The assembled panel sampled Locopops flavors for the month of March and would like to present to you our findings.
Cookies and Cream
Locopops’ paletas come in two types (cream-based and water-based), and Cookies and Cream has been a staple of the former since the very beginning. It was a favorite with our taste testers, with multiple compliments of “how yummy the Oreo flavor was.” Others appreciated that Locopops “put whole Oreos in the popsicle,” which added to the “great texture.” Some people had minor quibbles with “the generic sweetness” of the ice part of the paleta, but other than that, it was a resounding success.
4.5 stars out of 5
Chocolate Stout
The cream-based Chocolate Stout is one of Locopops’ monthly specials, and its “funky taste” was a surprise hit with our taste testers. Many people enjoyed the “balance between malt and chocolate,” and its “smooth texture” was widely praised. One taste tester detected “notes of coffee and cardamom,” which he attributed to the locally-produced stout. Overall, Chocolate Stout defied expectations and proved to be one of the breakout pops of the test.
4.5 stars out of 5
Strawberry Pineapple
Strawberry Pineapple, a monthly, water-based paleta, was decidedly less popular than the others we tested. One of the things we all enjoyed about Locopops popsicles was “how unique they are,” yet one tester described Strawberry Pineapple as “indistinguishable from Edy’s.” Many noted the “utter lack of pineapple flavor,” which led some to question whether there was any pineapple in the pop at all. However, the strawberry flavor was praised as “tart and tangy,” and the texture was “all fruit and very yummy.”
2 stars out of 5
Mexican Caramel
The cream-based Mexican Caramel, another mainstay of Locopops’ rotation, was an overwhelming favorite of the taste test committee. The taste and texture was described as “pure, gooey caramel,” with a “delightful aftertaste” of milk and spices. It was also voted as one of the prettiest of the popsicles because of its “rich, golden hue.” One tester described it as “definitely a winter popsicle,” as it “wasn’t refreshing,” but more akin to a warming dessert despite its coldness. Overall, this was highlighted as “the cream-based paleta to get.”
5 out of 5
Asian Plum
Asian Plum was the most divisive entry in our competition. Some testers loved the amethyst-colored paleta for its “bite and sourness” and thought it was “highly refreshing.” The majority of us found it to be “one-dimensional,” with one tester likening it to “frozen cranberry juice.” The overall consensus was that “it was tasty but unmemorable.”
3 stars out of 5
Mint Mojito
One tester raved about the water-based regular Mint Mojito, “if you’re in the mood for a lemon-y ice pop, this is just about perfect.” Another liked that it “was a perfect facsimile of a real mojito and utterly refreshing.“ Not everyone was quite as enamored—one tester lamented, “by the end, it was overwhelmingly minty and I didn’t want to finish it”—but it still was a solid hit that most of us would recommend to all the citrus lovers of the world.
4 stars out of 5
Lychee Rose Petal
The monthly special Lychee Rose Petal was one of the obvious standouts of our test—to one tester, it was “the only one [he] would eat two of”—and had us wishing that Locopops would have it year round. Our resident lychee expert loved that the “flavor of the lychees came through,” and others praised it for its “really excellent aftertaste.” “The rose petals looked pretty” and tasted great, adding an herbal dimension to the overall flavor of the pale pink pop.
5 stars out of 5
Mango Chile
Mango Chile was another divisive paleta. Unlike the rest of the water-based paletas, Mango Chile was “velvety” like a puree and had a “warming effect” that appealed to many testers, with one calling it “absolutely delicious.” However, the pop lost points because “the chile and the mango never blended,” “the mango was too rich,” and “the aftertaste was really spicy.” Overall, the most fiery paleta left us feeling rather lukewarm.
3 stars out of 5
Mexican Chocolate
Mexican Chocolate, arguably the most famous of Locopops’ products, delighted our panel with its “excellent spices” and “rich hot chocolate flavor.” Everyone liked its “fun take on the common Fudgesicle,” with one taste tester saying “[he] would never go back.” One tester found a slight flaw, noting that the “texture was good, but I wish it wasn’t just the cream,” and another finding it “sometimes a little gritty in places.” Despite this, we found this Locopops staple worthy of its exalted status.
4 stars out of 5
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.