Flora

OK TBH I am not following a vegan diet, I'm probably closer to Anthony Bourdain who saw veganism as a " persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living." But life is about learning and changing, I fully believe when you stop changing you're done. In that spirit I sidled up to the Flora booth and ordered a double, the Cento Coffee and Apple-Pecan Crisp. I wondered if it could be as good as ice cream. Dear Reader, it was ***better*** than any ice cream I've had. It had all the creamy mouth feel and sweetness of Ben and Jerry's but without the kind of thick dairy buildup. Tasted like ice cream, went down like gelato. The Coffee was actually a "stracciatella" - a gelato with chocolate flakes, with added crushed Cento coffee beans that added a little crunch to contract with the creamy cashew milk base. The Apple-Pecan crisp had heirloom caramelized apples sourced from the Ferry Building market, a hint of Calvados, and adorned with a sprig of fresh mint; all this served on a Belgian waffle. I'm glad I stretched my taste buds, and I think the product at Flora so good, we'll probably see it in many more locations over time. In the meantime, head to the Ferry Building on a Saturday for this unique treat. Great service too -- it's a family business -- (for now.)

I was a bit intrigued about the new vegan ice cream option at the Saturday farmers market. Seems heavily nut based, so what I tried was quite rich. I think I prefer the flavors with a lot of ingredients so I don't focus as much on missing the dairy.Devoto Heirloom Apple-Pecan Crisp: Pretty darn tasty for vegan. Was creamy, nicely spiced, good apple fruit tones. Especially loved the alcohol in the mix. A very sophisticated palate.Cento Coffee Stracciatella: Strong coffee and dark chocolate flavors. It was creamy, but not as creamy as dairy-based coffee ice cream. Still decent.Knoll Farms Black Mission Fig: I'm generally not a fan of vinegar in desserts, but they found the right balance. Just a touch to give an accent to the grainy figs and smooth almond milk. Felt so fancy with fig ice cream.Frog Hollow Farms Flavor King Pluot: Probably the most subtle of the flavors. It was alright, but only got this to be comprehensive.Waffle: Didn't even notice that this was vegan. Had a great chewy texture. Perfect with two scoops of ice cream, really the breakfast that you deserve on a Saturday.

In mid-September, they had a stand at the Saturday's Ferry farmer's market just behind McGinnis Ranch's stand in the front area. I walked over but there were several customers and I was in a rush to finish my shopping.The following Saturday when I picked up my strawberries, there were no customers when I walked up and decided to take the plunge. After looking at the menu (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=0&select=rfFHXHeajQidNQB1Irfs4Q), I asked the young lady which she recommended between the Cento Coffee Stracciatella and the TCHO chocolate hazelnut gelatos. I chose the chocolate hazelnut on a waffle (https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=saJuyv784apZzH--psHZ3Q&start=0&select=5gaGsUQ-oW_ydpaqzpe9HA); the waffle was heated before building that dessert. I liked and was surprised by the creaminess of the gelato and really am surprised that this is a non-dairy product. Pairing this with a warm, crispy waffle is pure genius as this felt like a sundae more than a breakfast item.Having this at 10:30 am, this was my breakfast. The young gal who took my order was helpful in steering me to the chocolate as I'm not a big coffee person. But, you never know as coffee might be my choice next visit.

I've tried almost every flavor and it's the best gelato I've ever had and it definitely tastes more up level than plant-based ice cream that I've had. I recently tried the sourdough waffles too and they are the best waffles I've ever had. I dream about this and look forward to the next time!