An Italian Dream in the Silicon Valley

There is something about Italian food that brings a sense of comfort and peace to my mind and stomach. Though my lifelong favorites have always been the savory foods such as lasagna and veal scallopini, I've finally taken a stand and I have gone to the sweet side for one of the greatest Italian offerings: gelato.

I think of gelato as an extension of your typical American ice cream. Though seemingly quite similar, gelato seems to pack a huge haymaker punch of flavor especially when it comes to fruit flavors. It's not as reliant on gobs and chunks of chocolate and candy (although there's nothing wrong with that at all) that usually to overpower the creamy base. Instead of all the usual glitz and glam, gelato showcases the base flavor and allows it to shine through to anyone lucky enough to taste it. Lucky Italians!



Of all the gelatos I've ever tried, my favorite variety is green tea that hails from Cafe Aroma in Santa Clara. According to the owner's son who runs the counter in the evenings, he went to Europe and brought back authentic gelato-making techniques back to his shop in California. Whatever his secret is, he is on the right track. He has about 12 different flavors at any given time, most of them fruit inspired. My favorite, the green tea flavor, is refreshing and light and reminds me of fresh, lightly brewed tea made from freshly picked tea leaves. Matched with the creamy base of milk and sugar, the gelato melts quickly and permeates the tongue with a burst of flavor and richness. The color is a very light seafoam green and almost looks like wasabi, but pay no mind to its visual appearance. This gelato has the perfect balance of sweetness, creaminess, and all around goodness!

A Sweet Stop Indeed!

When I was a kid, my summer vacation days were spent in Japantown at the Christ United Presbytarian Church summer camp. Everyday for three months, I donned my green camp scarf and scaled the streets of San Francisco while chanting bubbly campfire songs. The days were long, but my day was always made when my grandpa would take me to Yasukochi's Sweet Stop bakery on Laguna street. The bakery still stands as I remember it to this day nestled inside a corner Japanese supermarket. A husband and wife team singlehandedly run the small shop that supply the neighborhood locals with all their sugar fixes. Jam fingerprints dotted with almonds, custard filled danishes and butter cookies with sprinkles fill the right side of the refrigerated case, while the other half is flooded with scrumptious home baked cakes and cake slices. The case is always quite a sight, but don't let your eyes fool you. If you don't get to the shop before 3pm, count yourself out from the enjoyment of tasting these wonderful treats.

The summer days were warm, so it was only fitting to drop by the air conditioned Sweet Stop at the end of the day, when all the singing and hiking was done. My grandpa and I would round the corner and head into the shop, where my eyes would always be set on the prize: eclairs! To this day, the eclairs from Sweet Stop hold the status of the best eclairs I've ever had. The pate choux dough was always slightly crisp and housed the creamy, rich custard perfectly. The ganache topping was soft and velvety with a robust dark chocolate flavor to it. Every time I took a bite, there was a feeling of pure satisfaction and happiness. A Sweet Stop eclair was always a great ending to a long day.



Many years later, I still find myself at Sweet Stop picking up desserts and treats for my family. The mere speak of the bakery in conversation strikes up good thoughts of the sweets that the bakety produces. Whenever I'm in Japantown, there's always a planned visit to Sweet Stop on the agenda because I know that the fulfillment of my sugar satiety depends on it!