With the SoCal winter weather remaining at usual moderate temperatures, an ice cream run is never out of the question. Thankfully, some mouthwatering ice cold desserts are camouflaging to the essence of the holiday season at Sweet Rose Creamery this month, with a variety of special December flavors are available at the local gourmet ice cream shop.
Executive chef Shiho Yoshikawa, who creatively concocts the monthly flavors, listed and described the choices that visitors can choose from.
In light of the season, several of the ice cream options have been themed with signature holiday flavors and spices.
“This month we have our eggnog ice cream, which can also be served with a pie,” Yoshikawa said. “We have a peppermint patty flavor, which is mixed into a sweet custard base. There’s also a peppermint sundae option available, which includes peppermint ice cream, hot fudge, mint sprigs, and peppermint patty garnish.”
Yoshikawa’s out-of-the-box thinking shines through her flavors that incorporate ingredients like caramel apple with granola, spiced milk with apricot preserves, and cranberry compote with chocolate cake, options that won’t be found at any other eatery. She ensures that particular methods are used when it comes to making the ice cream.
“In the caramel apple with granola, we make the caramel with apple pulp instead of cream,” Yoshikawa said. “The cranberry compote includes oranges and vanilla mixed in with chocolate cake, and the apricot puree [for the spiced milk ice cream] is stored months in advance.”
As for the mastermind herself, Yoshikawa considers the rum raisin her favorite flavor.
From banana ice cream to pomegranate frozen yogurt, fruit-based flavors are prevalent at Sweet Rose Creamery, as the shop takes full advantage of the local produce and utilizes only the freshest seasonal fruit. Other seasonally special flavors include yuzu lemon sorbet, persimmon cardamom sorbet, and chocolate coconut sorbet, all of which are dairy free.
“All of our tropical fruits are from the Farmers Market,” Yoshikawa said.
It’s crystal-clear that Yoshikawa emphasizes the quality level in her products, so it comes as no surprise that she has worked in the realm of desserts for a while. In fact, she met Sweet Rose co-owner Zoe Nathan through a prior culinary job.
“I started out in San Francisco at a tartine bakery, which is where I worked with Zoe,” she explained.
Yoshikawa went on to assist in the opening of Huckleberry, one of Sweet Rose’s sister restaurants. Although she had had other plans in mind afterward, the stars aligned so that her aspirations could fall in place in West L.A.
“I had been thinking about going to Hawaii to open an ice cream shop,” Yoshikawa said. “But Zoe brought up the concept of Sweet Rose Creamery, and I thought, ‘why not?’”
Thanks to such a serendipitous situation, Sweet Rose Creamery enthusiasts can experience Yoshikawa’s creations all year long – especially during the holiday season, when visitors can indulge in the comfort of Christmasy flavors.
Sweet Rose Creamery has three locations. Its Santa Monica shop is located at 826 Pico Blvd., its Brentwood shop at 225 26th St. in the Brentwood Country Mart, and Mid City shop at 7565 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles.
For a complete list of December flavors, visit sweetrosecreamery.com.
