Photo by Elaine Miller
Hot enough for ya? This time of year, the temperature in New Orleans more resembles a valedictorian’s report card rather than any climate in which humans should live. Eating a meal is a chore unto itself, and a steaming bowl of gumbo or a plate of red beans is far down on the list of cravings. So why not forego lunch or dinner, and head straight for dessert at Meltdown Popsicles?
Owner Michelle Weaver established this small French Quarter storefront located on Dumaine just off Decatur in late 2009 after two years of selling her gourmet popsicles around town from a retrofitted Good Humor ice cream truck. The freezer-on-wheels has since been replaced by a sliding door chest, but the local cult following remains unchanged. Weaver organically sources as many of her ingredients as possible. Fruits are purchased from local farmers markets, and she even grows many of her own herbs, including the lemon verbena which is paired with seasonal blueberries.
Such a combination of sweet fruit with tart, herbaceous and spicy flavors is accomplished with great dexterity, as is also evident in flavors such as strawberry lime and mango chili. Or try the more savory sweet flavors like salty caramel or chocolate strewn with tiny chunks of sea salt. The latter is a textbook example of why salty and sweet is the yin and yang of snacking, while the former is an ice cold taste of a circus treat.
The flavors are constantly evolving to reflect not only the seasons but also to incorporate local flavors. Witness the Vietnamese iced coffee and its bracing caffeine-tinted edge softened by a jolt of sweetened condensed milk. It’s a pick-me-up on a stick. So the next time you find yourself in the Quarter, hot, and begging for relief, go back to childhood, and grab a Meltdown Popsicle.
508 Dumaine St.
504-301-0905
Noon-6 p.m. daily
Cash only
