What Paleta means
Paleta is a Mexican sweet name of Spanish origin meaning "little shovel". It is built from Spanish pala (shovel, paddle) and -eta (diminutive). It is pronounced pah-LEH-tah, and it is most associated with Michoacán.
Named for the flat wooden stick, not the ice. Paletas split into de agua (water-based) and de leche (milk-based), and the town of Tocumbo in Michoacán is the one that spread the paletería across Mexico.
This is a site about what Mexican words mean, so there is no recipe here. For the name itself: From colonial convent sweets like ate and jamoncillo to the chili-and-tamarind candies of the modern corner shop. Alegría means "joy", borrachito means "little drunk one", and muégano's name is a mystery even to Mexicans.
