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Spiced caramels at Sweet

A new confectionary called Sweet nearly made us late for dinner as we stopped in for a bit of early dessert yesterday. Just opened Saturday in the tiny space between Sparky's and Crepevine, the Small Potatoes off-shoot deals in cakes, cookies, candy, and other tooth-rotting things. There was a chalkboard out front advertising cupcakes, but the last one had just been sold minutes before our arrival. We did manage to sample the house-made spiced caramel (caramel laced with cloves, cardamon and cinnamon), which was a lot like eating a caramel apple without the annoying apple part. They also had regular caramel apples on the shelf (if that's your thing), along with rocky road, and fresh marshmallows.

Continuing our sugar-themed evening, we got by the new Three Twins ice creamery after dinner. Another miniscule spot with a bright green paint job and standing room for three or four customers, Twins takes a cue from Bi-Rite Creamery and Humphry Slocombe with its organic ice cream in flavors like Strawberry Je Ne Sais Quoi (strawberry with a splash of balsamic vinegar). We had the Cookie Jar, which, as you might imagine, is their take on cookies and cream and includes large chunks of both chocolate and vanilla cookies. Three Twins makes their ice cream at their San Rafael location and has a location at Napa's Oxbow Market. It's good to see the "Sugar Trail" extending up the Wiggle.

[Photo: Via Alexis Wright]