110 years of sweet history at Sorbetería Colón
Mérida, Yucatán — Among their customers have been Cantiflas, Maria Felix and Charles Lindbergh. Also, Diego Luna, Martha Stewart and Fidel Castro.
Sorbetería Colón has been an inspiration for writers like Juan García Ponce, who wrote the story “La Plaza de Mi Infancia,” and Fernando Marrufo, in his poem “El Pionono.”
These pieces of history come together as the famed Dulcería y Sorbetería Colón celebrates its 110th anniversary. Not only do they serve refreshing ice cream, sorbets and pastries at their Plaza Grande headquarters, but also at the Paseo de Montejo, which opened in the 1960s, followed by a stand in Xcumpich and in Gran Plaza and Plaza Dorada malls.
Today all the branches will celebrate with live music and prizes.
In addition, at Francisco de Montejo and Paseo de Montejo, there will be games for children.
Sorbetería Colón has been in the same family for four generations. And Dulcería y Sorbetería Colón still serves ice cream and tropical fruit sorbets with original recipes created by the founder, Vicente Rodríguez Peláez, a Spanish immigrant who learned his trade at a hotel in Cuba.
When the parlor introduced ices to Yucatán, the treat was unknown to customers — but they sold well in a city whose average temperature exceeds 36C/97F.
Today, their frozen treats are still homemade, setting them apart from their more industrialized competitors. They have also rejected franchising the business, keeping production small. The only thing that has changed is the cows — years ago they gave up milking their own.
Their basic flavors of las nieves de frutas, are lemon, sour orange, pineapple, strawberry, tamarind and banana. As the year progresses, they offer seasonal fruits such as soursop, zapote, saramuyo, pitaya, nance, plum and one of their most traditional, Moorish cream. All the recipes are patented and guarded jealously by the family.
Source: Diario de Yucatán, El Economista
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