Ici

Is “Rosemary Candied Bacon” an ice-cream flavor? It is at Ici, a unique ice cream shop where everything is made by hand from scratch and with choice, organic ingredients. What up with the flavors? You’d be surprised at how good they taste, and at the same time, these flavors will be different from anything you’ve had at other creameries in the Bay or elsewhere.

Take Burnt Caramel, an offering which will remind you of the crispy topping on a crème brulee, except darker, richer. Or Coconut Toffee, a blend of sweetness with a coffee-like aftertaste. Eleven more ice cream flavors are on the menu, from Brandied Cherry and Green Tea to Strawberry-Lime-Mint Sorbee. Ice cream here is made daily, with toppings and to-go pints available.

Besides ice cream by the scoop, Ici has what they call Bombes, specialty ice cream cakes with extra layers and flourishes you’ll need a special occasion to justify buying. (For an at-home indulgence needing no special occasion besides treating the family for dessert, go for a mini Bombe instead.)

And if you thought that was the extent of ice cream’s powers, think again. As Ici well knows, ice cream can be served in a sandwich and at the center of a chocolate-dipped bon bon. Ice cream can be whipped into a shake, float above your root beer, or served with hot fudge in your sundae. But if you’ve had enough ice cream for a day, there are cookies and candies here as well, made without artificial ingredients and tied up with a ribbon.

Pastry chefs Mary Canales, Mattea Soreng, and PJ Pawelek are passionate about sustainable practices and creative cooking, and it shows in their products.

HelloOakland tip: Ici’s portable ice cream freezer, filled with the shop’s homemade frozen treat, is now available for parties and events. Call the shop to reserve it for a day or weekend.
 

- by Renee M. Rutledge, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Renee M. Rutledge

Renee M. Rutledge currently writes articles on local travel and culture for Red Tricycle, Parents' Press, Oakland Magazine, and Alameda Magazine.