SWEET UME PLUM
Celebrated for their intense fragrance, ume plums were brought to California by immigrants from Japan. Ripe, blushing ume from the Central Valley are cured in sugar for months until a floral, mildly acidic syrup develops. The syrup is then incorporated into our classic ice cream recipe. We worked with Sylvan, Rintaro’s owner, to create this delicate sweet-tart flavor, applying the same process used for Rintaro's housemade umeshu liqueur – a centerpiece at his Mission District restaurant.
#ShowUsYourScoops
SWEET UME PLUM: A SYMPHONY OF TRADITION AND INNOVATION
Born from the soulful partnership with Rintaro, a cherished gem in the Mission District known for its traditional Japanese cuisine fused with local Californian ingredients, Bi-Rite Creamery & Friends’ new flavor pays homage to deep-rooted traditions, culinary artistry, and cultural vibrancy.
Imagine strolling through an orchard at dusk, the air filled with the floral fragrance of ripe ume plums. This is where our journey begins. The ume plums we used for this ice cream were brought to life under the California sun, nurtured by farmers of Hmong origin, a tribe from the hills of Southeast Asia with a long history in agriculture.
For our Sweet Ume Plum, our process is a labor of love and meticulous care. We start by curing these vibrant, green ume plums in sugar, allowing them to rest for three months. Layer by layer, sugar envelops the plums, and over time, a floral-tart syrup emerges. This syrup, reminiscent of the umeshu liqueur that graces Rintaro’s bar, is the heart and soul of our new ice cream flavor.
Sylvan Mishima Brackett, Rintaro’s visionary founder, and Kris Hoogerhyde, Bi-Rite Creamery’s co-owner and pastry chef, discovered the leftover ume from the previous harvest. They saw the potential in these plums – their rich history and unique flavor profile – and envisioned an ice cream that would captures the essence of both Bi-Rite and Rintaro’s culinary philosophies.
At Rintaro, the syrup often finds its way into sparkling water for a refreshing drink or as a delicate dollop to elevate dishes. Here at Bi-Rite Creamery, we integrate this syrup into our classic ice cream recipe of cream, egg yolk, milk, and sugar. The result is an ice cream that’s both simple and sophisticated, a delicate symphony of sweet and tangy notes that dances on the palate with every spoonful.
So, whether you’re a dessert lover seeking your next favorite flavor or someone who appreciates the art of culinary craftsmanship, we invite you to taste our latest partner creation. Let it transport you to the orchards of the Central Valley, the bustling kitchen of Rintaro, and the welcoming embrace of the Bi-Rite community.
Join us in this delicious journey to Japan as we continue to create #HappinessFromScratch, one scoop at a time.
Where to find Sweet Ume Plum: the ice cream is available at the Creamery in scoops and pints and at all three Bi-Rite Market locations in pints, and available for delivery on Instacart.
PAST COLLABORATIONS
WALNUT BAKLAVA CHERRY SWIRL
To celebrate Souvla’s 10-year anniversary, we collaborated on an exceptional flavor honoring the delights of our Greek neighbor's kitchen. Each bite is a taste of the traditional Greek pastry, with toasted walnuts, ground cinnamon, and honey. We added a dark cherry syrup swirl to echo Souvla’s frozen Greek yogurt topping “vissino,” which complements our sweet, tangy spin on a Greek yogurt ice cream. Here's to many more years of Souvla and Bi-Rite serving our community and making it nice!
SAFFRON JAGGERY CARAMEL CRUNCH
Diaspora Co. offers delicious, rich, and luscious spices while promoting equity and fair exchange within the spice trade industry. Inspired by founder Sana Javeri Kadri’s bold approach to flavor and business, we partnered with her and the Diaspora team to create the first limited edition flavor in our new series Bi-Rite Creamery & Friends: Saffron Jaggery Caramel Crunch. Stunning Kashmiri Saffron ice cream is paired with a Madhur jaggery caramel swirl and a crunchy, salty pistachio crumble. #ShowUsYourScoops
SALTED EGG & MULBERRY SWIRL
Chef Brandon Jew leans into the quality of ingredients for every dish he creates—and our partnership with him showcased this. We couldn’t contain our excitement over this collaboration as we explored flavor complexities with special ingredients. Salted egg is grated into an extra rich, salty ice cream to create a custardy texture and then combined with a sweet, tart mulberry swirl for the ultimate sweet and salty satisfying treat. Launched Fall 2023. Let us know if you’d like to have this flavor return!
TOASTY UBE SOURDOUGH
Rize Up Bakery feels we can change the world one beautiful loaf of bread at a time. And we were honored to collaborate with this Black-owned bakery to create a flavor inspired by Chef Azikiwee ‘Z’ Anderson’s favorite way to enjoy his sought-after ube sourdough. Dive into this ube sourdough ice cream with sweetened condensed milk, buttery sourdough breadcrumbs, and an ube jam swirl. Launched Summer 2023. Let us know if you’d like to have this flavor return!
PANDAN MANGO SWIRL
The team at Good Good Culture Club and Liholiho Yacht Club enjoy sharing their #heritagedriven cooking with their guests. And we’re thrilled to collaborate with them on a new ice cream, featuring their favorite flavors of steeped fresh pandan leaves, with hints of coconut, almond, and vanilla, complemented by a bright mango curd swirl. Launched January 2023. If you’d like to see this flavor return, let us know!
MEYER LEMON ROSEMARY CRUMBLE
Meyer lemon and rosemary have been a constant on the celebrated State Bird Provisions menu, and we were excited to collaborate with Nicole Krasinski and Stuart Brioza to combine those flavors with our ice cream. Scoop into this creamy Meyer lemon ice cream with its sweet, tart Meyer lemon curd swirl, and crunchy, savory rosemary seed crisp. Launched Fall 2022. If you’d like to see this flavor return, let us know!
KNAFEH
We collaborated with 2022 James Beard Awards Outstanding Chef finalist Reem Assil to combine her signature Knafeh with our ice cream. Dig your spoon into this Greek yogurt and cream cheese ice cream with an orange blossom and rose syrup, and delicate honey brittle with pistachios and phyllo. Launched Summer 2022. If you’d like to see this flavor return, let us know!
NOW SERVING COLLABORATIONS
Here’s the scoop on our limited edition Bi-Rite Creamery x Local Chefs and Bi-Rite Creamery & Friends series. Kris Hoogerhyde, Bi-Rite Creamery’s co-owner, collaborates with local chefs and other inspiring partners to develop one-of-a-kind flavor combinations. We admire them not only for their dedication to deliciousness, but because they too are Creating Community Through Food.®
Each flavor pairs the chefs’ and partners’ unique culinary perspectives with Kris’ ice cream expertise to churn exclusive, tantalizing ice creams for your enjoyment. Follow us on Instagram to learn when the new Bi-Rite Creamery x Local Chefs and Bi-Rite Creamery & Friends flavors launch.