Cielito Artisan Pops
Audio By Carbonatix
Wynwood already has gourmet doughnuts, addictive pies, vegan cupcakes, and kosher ice cream, but locals with a sweet tooth might not realize the neighborhood is still missing one thing: artisanal ice pops.
This summer, Cielito Artisan Pops will begin serving artful, all-natural paletas ($4 to $7 a pop) in seasonal flavors, from the fruity — like ginger mint pineapple and starfruit pomegranate — to the creamy, such as chocolate avocado, passionfruit mousse with brownie chunks, mango lassi, café con leche, and tres leches. The concept is set to open inside the Wynwood Building at 2750 NW Third Ave. come July.
Inspired by the artistic neighborhood that surrounds it, Cielito will offer a visual experience, from kitchen faucets pouring dark and white chocolate sauces, to an elaborate toppings bar of crumbly coatings (such as caramelized cacao nibs, homemade cake crumbs, and dried rose petals), to meringue that can be flamed to order with a blowtorch.
“We definitely wanted to be in Wynwood from the beginning,” co-owner Sindy Posso says. “I think people in the area will appreciate it and will better understand the concept.”
Posso, an architect by trade, has lived in Miami for the past 12 years but grew up in Colombia surrounded by a family of bakers. Her grandmother’s bakery, located in the coastal town of San Juan, was a big inspiration for Posso’s ice-pop ambitions.
“All my childhood I was in the kitchen helping out,” she says. “I was eating the leftovers.”
With Cielito Artisan Pops, Posso wants to “bring it back to basics” — much like her grandmother did — by specializing in all-natural, seasonal ingredients sourced from Homestead farms. Want a fruity mango paleta? Not if mangoes aren’t in season, Posso says.
The new business will likewise be family-run, with Posso working alongside her husband, sister, and mother. They’ll all be in the kitchen, and Posso herself designed the storefront. The location will offer a large window with a behind-the-scenes view to emphasize its transparency.
“We want people to see what we are doing, what ingredients we are using,” she says.
Cielito Artisan Pops will also offer cake pops in the same shape as the paletas; vegan, nondairy ice pops; and pet-friendly “pup-sicles,” perfect for treating Fido during Miami’s dog days of summer.
