just food photos

During my visit to the Bay Area, I noticed that many reputable restaurants and shops seem to have been opened by a former Chez Panisse chef. Ici falls into that category, opened in 2006 by Mary Canales, a former pastry chef at the famed restaurant. Ici makes artisanal ice creams using local ingredients, like San Francisco’s Bi-Rite Creamery. Flavors change daily and are made in small batches. The day I visited, some of the offerings included Earl Grey, Apricot, and Saffron Vanilla. Earl Grey is quickly becoming one of my favorite flavors, and Ici makes a deliciously earthy version. At $9.50 a pint, the ice cream is not cheap, but I decided to splurge and bring one home to share with my sister. To satisfy my sweet tooth craving on site, I bought a peanut butter bon bon, for $1.75. A small cube of peanut butter ice cream with a layer of peanut butter on top, encased with a thin coating of chocolate. It was a perfect bite. Very peanut-buttery and not too sweet. If you’re in the area, at least treat yourself to a sample.