Napa Insider
Helpful hands and sweet starts
By Christina Julian
S ome of my best days as Napa Insider come when I discover a new business. A bonus, when said business happens to be family- run—and sweeter still when competitive edges are dropped in favor of helping hands, which is what this month’s column is all about. My latest discovery came at the Calistoga Farmers Market, when I noticed a crowd gathered around the Ian’s Bakeshop booth. When I finally edged my way to the front, I was greeted with friendly smiles and a colorful tapestry of bright purple and
merits of sampling cuisine from different cultures only sweetened the deal, along with the way Ian’s Bakery got its start. Vallegas, who had been working for the Toasted bagel shop at the St. Helena market, became friendly with neighboring Napa Valley Tea Company founder Agnes Ramos, who extended more than a helping hand when she asked if he had any products to sell, and opened up her space for him and Torres to offer some products. After rave reviews at Ramos’s booth, Vallegas and Torres sold at the Santa’s Helpers holiday market in Napa before making the leap to Calistoga. Ramos, who began researching teas
Pandan brioche is a traditional Filipino confection.
green loaves, some topped with coconut, alongside several other gooey and savory delights, which quickly banished my typically snobbish New York City bias toward baked goods. Ian Vallegas, who the business is named after, overseas marketing, while his mother, Marianne Torres, does the baking. The pair doled out many samples in between fielding questions from satisfied customers eager to learn about the story behind the colorful baked goods. The duo operation began as a way to offer a taste and twist on traditional Filipino doughy confections like pandan brioches and ube (purple yam) jam—minus the preservative-heavy options often found in larger grocery stores, if offered at all. Pandan, which Vallegas likens to the vanilla extract of Southeast Asia, lends sweet and floral notes as well as imparting the fetching green color. “It will uplift and brighten whatever it goes into,” he says. “My mom and I saw the Filipino products being offered in the state and, while we enjoyed seeing them come through, we wanted to elevate and change things up so that people could experience these items and see they are worth tasting.” In addition to sweeter offerings, there were pandan and ube sourdoughs that could flip the lid on the San Francisco treat, alongside meat and veggie-filled empanadas, which were also wow-worthy. Torres’s passion for baking began nine years ago when she offered products on Etsy to test market and gauge interest. During the pandemic, she became interested in perfecting ensaymadas, a fluffy and lightly sweet Filipino brioche. From there she continued to perfect her art and diversified out of the kitchen and ultimately into the Calistoga market. “I wanted to create something that reminds me of back home and gives people the opportunity to taste our culture, yet in a familiar way,” Torres says. “Like our version of a cinnamon roll, with pandan flavors, using coconut jam instead of a caramel sauce and crinkle cookies with a touch of ube.” She takes equal amount of care in the packaging, which makes each item not only delicious but quite giftable. I’m embarrassed to report that I sampled nearly every item on the menu, from the highly addictive and spreadable ube jam, to the flan-topped ensaymadas, pandan sticky bun and Biscoff-topped sticky roll, all of which were so unique and flavorful I spent the morning attempting to pry things out of my tweens’ hands. The fact that the day became a teachable moment about the
after being laid off as a physical therapist at St. Helena Hospital, enjoys mentoring new businesses. “I like networking, because I know how hard it is. Whoever I can help, I just do.” She started selling traditional teas, but when those didn’t get noticed, she turned to blending—13 years and 167 flavors later—it’s safe to say she found her groove. Since her early days at the Calistoga and St. Helena markets, now the majority of her business comes from wholesale, supplying restaurants, resorts, hotels and coffee shops throughout the valley with her specially blended teas. She sources from small farmers around the world, with many ingredients coming from California, including chardonnay grapeseed flower. Her booth continues to draw crowds, with her fruity blends served hot and over ice, alongside tea popsicles, loose teas, and new this year—slushies, which feature fresh fruit toppings and other tasty bits. In addition to her self-made tea empire, Ramos works as the physical therapy director at Piners Hospital, but it’s clear where her passion lies. “This [market] is my fun. I have seen customers move from babies to young adults.” If Ramos’s do-gooding wasn’t enough to restore faith in humanity amid tumultuous times, the Napa Valley Community Foundation recently launched the Elaine Jones Safety Net Fund to preserve essential nonprofit services, in the wake of uncertainty around government funding, which has traditionally offered a lifeline to vulnerable communities in Napa County. Substantial seed gifts from the foundation, Napa Valley Vintners, Zach Zachowski, Barbara Gabel and Jones family members, make the fund. possible. u
After years in the technology and advertising trenches, Christina Julian traded city life for country and unearthed a new philosophy— life is complicated, wine and food shouldn’t be. Her debut novel, a romantic comedy called The Dating Bender , is now available. Learn more at christinajulian.com . You can reach her at cjulian@ northbaybiz.com.
June 2025
NorthBaybiz 33
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