The second in a series of a look behind some of the vendors at the SF Street Food Festival brings us to Mexico and a traditional dessert that is the center of that country’s culture.

Rosa Rodriguez, who hails from Mexico, is the owner of Sweets Collection, a business that focuses on gelatin dessert art. The unique items are made with a combination of colored milk-based gelatin encapsulated in a clear gelatin exterior. Most are decorated with beautiful, artistic flowers in the clear portion of the gelatin.

“We use an injection technique,” said Rodriguez. “In all, each takes about two minutes to complete.”

Using the injector tool, Rodriguez creates a three-dimensional art piece in the transparent gelatin base that is part art and part tasty treat.

Rodriguez was introduced to La Cocina when she was looking for another job. Wanting to bring a tradition in her culture to San Francisco, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to take something that she knew well and turn it into a business. “I do the desserts for a lot of parties – special events like birthdays and weddings. I also sell them at the La Cocina Kiosk at the Ferry Building Marketplace. I do a lot of my sales online as well.”

The desserts can also include the liqueur of a customer’s choice.

Rodriguez, who once had paintings exhibited in galleries in Mexico, said she would love to build on her business and one day open up her own shop featuring her treats. She will be serving her Artistic Gelatin Desserts at the SF Street Food Festival. Her Sweets Collection booth will be located between 22nd and 23rd streets and Shotwell and Treat.

Photo Credit: Sweets Collection

• Tag: Art, Best of, Dessert, events, Gelatin, La Cocina, mexico, Rosa Rodriguez, SF Street Food Festival, Sweets Collection