I’ve been a fan of Bi-Rite Creamery since 2006, when they took the world by storm with their Salted Caramel Ice Cream. A few years later, I started teaching Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat cooking classes at their sister organization, 18 Reasons, which shared a kitchen with the creamery (yes, it smelled amazing!). After every class, I’d stop by the creamery’s window to get myself a buffalo milk soft serve. Yum! So when co-founder Kris Hoogerhyde reached out several years ago to see if I’d collaborate on a flavor with her, I said, “Not quite yet! I have to finish GOOD THINGS first!” When the time came, I knew exactly the flavor I wanted her to create, inspired by a 20-year old memory of tasting a few melting spoonfuls of Burnt Caramel Ice Cream steeped with Noyau at Berkeley’s now-closed Ici Ice Cream. I’ve never forgotten how the bitterness of the burnt caramel mingled with with incredible almond aroma of the fragrant noyau. Over the course of this year, Kris and her team have done my memory justice, creating a flavor inspired by it and my own Apricot and Noyau Jam recipe in GOOD THINGS. If you’re in the Bay Area this fall, seek this one out. One taste, and you’ll never forget how special it is. —Samin

BI-RITE CREAMERY x GOOD THINGS APRICOT NOYAUX CARAMEL ICE CREAM

This partnership between Kris Hoogerhyde and Samin has been long-awaited, as Samin’s roots with Bi-Rite reach back to her days teaching classes about her famed cookbook “Salt, Fat, Acid Heat” at 18 Reasons. Now, these two culinary visionaries have finally come together to create an innovative flavor they’ve dreamed of for years.  

Twenty years ago, Samin tasted the last few melting spoonfuls of an ice cream she’d never forget and the experience left a lasting impression. Guided by their shared belief that food should be inspired by a story, Kris and Samin poured their hearts into creating Apricot Noyaux Caramel, a flavor 20 years in the making. 

Tucked inside each apricot pit is the kernel, also known as noyaux. Often discarded after enjoying the juicy fruit, the noyaux, when carefully extracted, provides a delicate almond flavor, reminiscent of marzipan. Infused with this subtle almond taste, the ice cream is swirled with floral apricot jam and finished with shards of burnt caramel for a bright, bittersweet crunch. We’ve crafted this aromatic flavor to leave an unforgettable impression on you—just as it once did on Samin. 

Visit the Creamery for a scoop of Apricot Noyaux Caramel, a flavor that invites curiosity, sparks connection over good food, and is a testament of sustainable creativity. As Samin says, “Good Things come to those who wait.” 

Preorder a pint, grab a few at any Market location, or have them deliciously delivered through the Bi-Rite Market App.