Sunday E-dition: Roman Holiday Gelato and the Taste of Freedom
Former accountant trades spreadsheets for scoops, crafting seasonal gelato with precision and purpose - By Tim Carl
Correction: In the below article, Elisha Smiley was described as having worked at La Ciccia. She actually worked at Locanda, part of the Delfina Restaurant Group.
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Roman Holiday Gelato and the Taste of Freedom
By Tim Carl
ST. HELENA, Calif. — The first spoonful was Mint Stracciatella. Cool, clean and shockingly fresh, it tasted like summer had been folded into cream. That's how I first came to Roman Holiday Gelato in St. Helena — by taste, not by assignment.
And that's how many others have found it, too.
Elisha Smiley, the shop’s founder and gelato-maker, opened Roman Holiday in October 2023 in a small storefront just off Main Street. A pastry chef and former instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, she didn’t come to this on a straight path — she came via PricewaterhouseCoopers.
“I was a tax accountant,” Smiley said, laughing. “I got my master’s in taxation. But it wasn’t something that held my interest. Long hours and tough work — I figured, if I’m going to do that anyway, I might as well do something I love.”
Her love? Baking. Gelato. Precision. Chemistry.
“I always liked that simple ingredients could become something more,” she said. “Sugar, eggs, flour, butter — nothing fancy. But if you do it right, the whole is more than the sum of the parts.”
Smiley studied pastry at Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco, then worked at establishments such as Delfina and La Ciccia, where she refined her skills making gelato. She staged at high-end kitchens across Europe, including Mugaritz in Spain and Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner in London. She also helped Rococo Chocolates in London during the Christmas rush — "eating all the bonbon ganache scraps" — before returning to the Bay Area.
A turning point came when her employer sent her to Gelato University outside Bologna.
"That’s when I really understood the formulation," she said.
Gelato, Smiley explained, is different from ice cream. It uses less fat, less air and is served warmer — all of which make it denser, more flavorful and easier on the palate.
That training shows.
“You can taste the difference.”
That’s what Sarah Lopez said when I asked her what she thought after tasting her first cone.
“It’s super creamy, and the quality is excellent,” Lopez said. “The service was great — she even let us in a little early.”
Lopez, who grew up in St. Helena but now lives in Vallejo, was visiting with her grandmother and son when they stopped by for an impromptu treat after a power outage.
Even Cathy Buck, who runs the Cameo Cinema across town, is a regular.
“Now, when I’m invited to a gathering, I always offer to bring dessert,” Buck said. “And it’s always one of Elisha’s flavors. Her mint is one of the few that actually tastes like mint. You can see and taste the fruit in the strawberry. The peaches and cream — I slice a few fresh peaches over it. Makes my mouth water thinking about it.”
Buck had stopped in that day to hand-pick a custom selection for the Cameo Cinema’s menu, where patrons have come to expect their favorite flavors are available.
From Numbers to Gelato
Smiley’s path from accounting to artisanal gelato may seem unusual, but it mirrors the values that shape her shop: structure, curiosity and a deep respect for process. Her ingredients reflect that care.
Organic Clover milk and sugar
Homemade inclusions such as hand-rolled Oreo-style cookies
Fruit from nearby farms, including K&J Orchards in Winters
Tim Deasy, who oversees sales at K&J Orchards, delivers to some of the region’s top restaurants: The French Laundry, Charlie’s, Angele, Evangeline.
“Unlike a lot of people making gelato, Elisha insists on using fresh, not frozen,” Deasy said. “We grow a wide range of hard-to-find fruit and put real effort into getting it right — growing it properly, picking it ripe. That’s what makes the difference.”
This Week’s Puzzle:
"Risotto… or gelato?"
One Italian root word connects risotto and gelato. Do you know it? Can you guess it? Find the answer at the bottom.
Beyond Cones
Smiley makes her own honey-brown sugar waffle cones. She also offers focaccia pizza, espresso drinks using beans from Retrograde Coffee in Sebastopol and a potent affogato — gelato “drowned” in hot espresso.
“It's the best afternoon pick-me-up,” she said. “Especially after a couple of wine tastings.”
Pricing is simple and tax-inclusive (“I don’t like dealing with change,” she said):
$6 for a kids scoop (poco)
$9 for a double
$2 extra for a house-made waffle cone
Seating is available both inside and out. A block off Main Street, the location stays cool and calm, even during high summer.
And yes, there’s a scooter.
The shop’s name and its signature color come from Smiley’s favorite film: “Roman Holiday,” starring Audrey Hepburn.
For those who haven’t seen the 1953 film, Hepburn plays a princess who escapes her royal duties for one day in Rome. She cuts her hair short, rides a Vespa, eats gelato on the Spanish Steps and falls in love — briefly but fully.
“She gets a day of freedom,” Smiley said. “That sense of joyful independence always stuck with me.”
Smiley bought her own purple Vespa in 2016 — and painted the shop to match. Today, that scooter adorns her logo, and a matching gelato cart allows her to cater weddings, winery events and parties across the region.
“I can go anywhere,” she said. “No electricity needed. Just me, the cart and the gelato.”
A Different Kind of Freedom
Not all freedoms announce themselves with fanfare. Some come quietly — in small scoops, folded with care. Smiley traded spreadsheets for spatulas and now shapes her days with flavor, structure and intent. At Roman Holiday Gelato, freedom doesn’t just taste sweet — it tastes like summer, like choosing your own path, like possibility served with a spade and a steady hand.
If you’re interested in hiring the gelato cart for an event, you can email: romanholidaygelato@gmail.com
If You Go:
Roman Holiday Gelato
1336 Oak Ave., St. Helena
Monday: Noon – 8 p.m.
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: Noon – 8 p.m.
Thursday: Noon – 8 p.m.
Friday: Noon – 9 p.m.
Saturday: Noon – 9 p.m.
Sunday: Noon – 8 p.m.
Winter hours subject to change
Favorites rotate, but seasonal standouts have included:
Mint Stracciatella
Cookie Monster (with homemade Oreos)
White Peach Bellini
Strawberry With Local Berries
Affogato (espresso over gelato)
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Tim Carl is a Napa Valley-based photojournalist.
Today’s Polls:
Poem of the Day
“A Song in Summer”
by Sophie Jewett
If I were but the west wind,
I would follow you;
Cross a hundred hills to find
Your world of green and blue;
In your pine wood linger,
Whisper to you there
Stories old and strange, and finger
Softly your bright hair.
About the author: Sophie Jewett (1861–1909) was an American poet, translator and professor who published under her own name and the pseudonym Ellen Burroughs. She was born June 3, 1861, in Moravia, New York, to Dr. Charles Carroll Jewett, a country physician, and Ellen Ransom Burroughs. After her father’s death in her childhood, the family — including her two sisters and brother — moved to Buffalo, New York. Around age 20, she traveled to England and Italy, often accompanied by one of her sisters, an artist. Her time in Italy later inspired “Italian Sketches” (Suburban Press, 1917). Jewett taught English at Wellesley College, where she became known for her lyrical verse and her translations from medieval French.
Her poetry reflects a deep engagement with nature, legend and the intimate voice of personal address. “A Song in Summer,” with its imagery of wind, hills, pine woods and whispered stories, captures the delicacy and immediacy that characterize much of her work. In it, the speaker expresses a wish to follow and linger with a beloved presence — a light, airy yearning that matches the fleeting pleasures of a perfect summer day.
Are you a poet, or do you have a favorite piece of verse you'd like to share? Napa Valley Features invites you to submit your poems for consideration in this series. Email your submissions to napavalleyfeatures@gmail.com with the subject line: "Poem of the Day Submission." Selected poets will receive a one-year paid subscription to Napa Valley Features (a $60 value). We can’t wait to hear from you.
Today’s Caption Contest
Pick your favorite caption or add your own in the comments below.
Possible Captions:
“Googling: ‘Signs your vintage is over the hill.’”
“Browsing the dark cellar web.”
“They thought I was corked. They were wrong.”
“He poured the glass — and saw his own reflection.”
“Somewhere above, a corkscrew turned.”
Last week’s contest results
In “Storyteller Series — The Night the Sky Turned Black,” the winning caption was “Going south can mean different things,” with 28% of the votes.
“Some migratory patterns are more like guidelines.”
“Going south can mean different things.”
“I don’t follow paths. I groom them.”
“Comfort is for amateurs.”
“Others flee. I shred.”
In “Storyteller Series: The Night the Sky Turned Black,” Tim Carl recounted a Cold War-era memory from his youth in St. Helena, when civil defense drills, a false nuclear alarm and shifting family dynamics shaped a sense of unease. He described hiking with a friend to a cave for a planned “Dungeons & Dragons” game, cooking soap root by a fire and camping under a star-filled sky. That night, the stars abruptly vanished under a silent, oil-like darkness, replaced by a pulsing blue light before returning to normal. The unexplained event left the boys with an altered sense of reality and a deeper awareness that adults might not have answers for the dangers ahead.
Kathleen Scavone explored the behavior, ecology and cultural lore of western fence lizards, common across Napa County. She described their physical traits, mating habits, diet and predators, and explained how proteins in their blood can eliminate the bacterium that causes Lyme disease in ticks. Scavone also recounted their place in Pomo, Miwok and Greek mythology, where they often symbolize regeneration, wisdom and good fortune. The piece blended natural history and folklore, highlighting the role of these blue-bellied lizards in California’s summer landscape.
Penny Pawl discussed the growth, care and ecological role of sticky monkeyflowers, native to much of California and southern Oregon. She described their drought tolerance, pollination by bees and hummingbirds, and importance as food for butterfly larvae. Pawl explained how to encourage a second bloom through deadheading, as well as methods for propagation from cuttings or seed. She also noted their adaptability to various soils and their use in gardens and public plantings, offering practical tips for gardeners interested in cultivating the plant.
Dan Berger examined how the serving temperature affects the enjoyment and balance of Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon and other red wines. He traced the shift from traditionally higher-acid, food-friendly cabernets to softer, higher-alcohol styles often consumed without food, noting the widespread misuse of the term “room temperature.” Berger argued for serving reds at cooler, cellar-like temperatures to enhance aromas, balance and drinkability, and criticized restaurants for serving wine too warm or allowing opened bottles to oxidize. He concluded that even cocktail-style cabernets benefit from being served well below typical indoor temperatures.
Tim Carl reported on a wildfire preparedness meeting at Charles Krug Winery where residents, landowners and officials discussed Napa County’s progress and challenges under the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation’s new “Valley Stewards” strategy. Backed by county and CAL FIRE funding, the plan targets more than 100 high-risk zones for coordinated fuel breaks, access improvements and shared water resources. Early results included containing a Pritchard Hill blaze to less than 5 acres, though speakers noted continued threats from invasive plants, funding shortfalls, permitting delays and unstable insurance markets. The initiative relies on neighbor-to-neighbor cooperation to protect property, limit smoke impacts and strengthen the county’s ability to keep future fires small.
Answer + Explanation
B) Churn and freeze to emulsify
In Italian kitchens, mantecare means emulsifying fats and liquids, most famously when finishing risotto with butter or cheese for a silky texture. In gelato-making, mantecazione is the stage when the mix is churned and frozen at the same time. This creates a stable emulsion of fats, sugars and water, giving a dense, creamy texture with tiny ice crystals. Low overrun (less air) distinguishes gelato from ice cream, a tradition refined in Bologna, where Gelato University teaches the craft.
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Roman Holiday's has become our rest stop. We plan our drive to be sure RH is open before heading home.
We love the gelato, it reminds us of our afternoon gelato stop by our apartment in Lucca. Memories that last a life time.
Something interesting to try.