I first read about Sketch Ice Cream in Berkeley months ago, while perusing a comparison of the parlor versus a newer establishment, Ici Ice Cream. Intrigued, my friend Dom and I tried out Ici first.
We stood in the long line and I finally came out with a cone of buttermilk ice cream. It was pretty good, but the flavor was fainter than I expected. Still, I liked that their flavors are seasonal, so there’s always something new to go back for.
This past weekend, we got around to trying Sketch. I had the Earl Grey ice cream with persimmon compote and Dom had the cranberry and cinnamon ice creams with preserved pears and candied almonds.
Now, perhaps it’s because the memory of Sketch is fresher in my mind, but they were my favorites.
My ice cream tasted just like Earl Grey tea.
The compote was amazing. It was like Iranian autumn in a bowl. And every time it got too sweet, I took a taste of Dom’s cranberry ice cream to cleanse my palate.
Don’t tell Mitchell’s, but I think I’m falling a little bit in love with Berkeley’s ice creameries.
Mariam Hosseini is a Bay Area native who has been writing about food and travel for six years. She blogs regularly at yogurtsoda.com.
