Georgetown Alumn Mixes Culture, Food & Passion: MARACAS Ice Pops

Coffee Pops

It's warm and sunny Wednesday, Georgetown students taking in the mix of smells and flavors that make up the Farmers Market. Enter Maracas Ice Pops – a light-blue bicycle stand on the outer perimeter of Red Square selling chilled ice pops made of all-natural fruit. This past Wednesday, GUES members were lucky enough to get a real taste Maracas Ice Pops, and heard from Julia, the creator of the Mexican-styled handcrafted, gourmet ice pop brand. Not only did we enjoy chomping down on some refreshing, sweet ice pops, but we also have a newfound appreciation for Julia's story and what the Maracas brand means.

Cucumber-Chili-Lime Pop

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Starting Maracas

Julia transferred to Georgetown University from born-Puebla Meixco, and graduated from the School of Foreign Service ('87). Her education eventually led her to her current career choice as an International Trade Attorney. But despite enjoying her work as a lawyer, she desired to fuse her love for her Mexican heritage with her love for high-quality food – Maracas Pops was born. Practicing law during the day and selling ice pops on her time off (and on Wednesdays!), Julia is now proud of the product she creates and enjoys serving them to hundreds across the DC area. 

Coffee Pop

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So, what's in Maracas Pops?

One word: all-natural ingredients. Julia stands behind each ingredient that goes into her ice pops – from strawberries in the Strawberry-flavored pop to the lime juice in a new crowd favorite, the Cucumber-Chili-Lime pop. Julia is focused on the quality of every ice pop, which is what distinguishes Maracas from any other ice pop you might buy in a store. To top it off, she seeks out local ingredients whenever possible – the Coffee Pop  has sourced dairy from local farmers and coffee from an awesome cold brew blend.
Each pop is a blend of unique flavors, most typically fruit-based, and is never taken from a recipe – Julia tests a unique combination of ingredients to craft a perfect, original pop. What's her personal favorite? "The hibiscus flavor," she said, "prepared from an infusion of the fresh hibiscus flower, and not from concentrated syrup like you will see in many hibiscus flavored beverages."

Strawberry Pop

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What's Next for Maracas?

Luckily for us, Julia is testing out tons of new ice pop flavors that will be unveiled in the coming months. These flavors include açaì, yogurt, and particularly, coconut, which she hopes will capture the flavor of her hometown in Mexico. She's also in the works of creating alcohol-infused pops, which will make any pregame exponentially better. Also luckily for us, she'll be at the Farmers Market all semester long.
Maracas Pops definitely stand out in their quality, freshness, and flavor. Make sure to pick one up at the Farmers Market next Wednesday!
Check out Maracas Pops on Facebook & Instagram for more.