FOOD NEWS: Tea

Ceremony steeps teas and mixes cocktails in bigger space

A new catch for the Feast of the Seven Fishes Get your bagel fix with Rebelle 2.0

Just around the block from their original home on Thayer Street, Ceremony has settled into their spacious new tea shop on the corner of Euclid Avenue and Brook Street. A sanctuary with a clean white interior and soft lighting in the midst of a bustling neighborhood, the move was made o cial late fall with a ribbon cutting ceremony, though it took regulars no time at all to find their way back to the colorful and flavorful drinks. Decadent Ube Lattes, Brown Sugar Boba Lattes, and Matcha Strawberry are made even more fanciful with an icy teddy bear floating atop.

This new iteration of the shop carries on the tradition of private tea ceremonies, available by reservation, and also dips its toes into the nightlife scene, with a curated sake and cocktail menu. Mixed drinks are tea-infused or sake-forward, o ering twists on classic cocktails like the Sake Lemon Drop and Bloody Mary Chan. Sakes are selected by owner Michelle Cheng, which she and passionate servers are happy to share tasting notes and regions of origin for each. CeremonyPVD.com – Abbie Lahmers Feast of the Seven Fishes is an Italian-American Christmas Eve tradition where seafood shines. Fishmonger Stu Meltzer, owner of Fearless Fish Market on the West Side, says items like clams, squid, whitefish, and oysters are popular for the holiday. But for those who want to buck tradition, he shares a suggestion: periwinkles, in a simple saute of butter and white wine. “Use a toothpick, or get out your fancy silver snail pick, pull out the meat and enjoy it with a crisp white wine.”

For a unique (and local) holiday present, give Fearless’s fish share as a gift. With weekly and bi-monthly options, the share includes a choice of two or four servings of locally sourced fish along with a recipe and background on the catch, available for pickup at their West Fountain Street location, Stock Culinary Goods on Hope Street, or Campus Fine Wines on Brook Street. FearlessFishMarket.com – Karen Greco After a hiatus, Rebelle Artisan Bagels has reopened their storefront for pre-order pickups during limited weekend hours for bagels, cream cheese tubs, deli items and pastries. Owner Milena Pagan and her team went into hyperdrive during the pandemic, not only o ering Rebelle’s menu to-go but delivering weekly grocery boxes. At the same time, Pagan opened Little Sister, her cafe on Hope Street. “So much had changed in the restaurant industry,” Pagan says. “We decided as a team we needed a little distance.” She and her small sta needed a break, so she scaled down operations and closed the storefront, moving bagel sales to Farm Fresh’s Sims Market.

Longtime employee Michele Ouellette will take the helm at Rebelle 2.0 while Pagan focuses on Little Sister. “Our regulars are the reason” for the reopening, she says, mentioning that they received a flood of supportive notes after Rebelle closed. “We want to do them proud.” RebelleArtisanBagels.com – Karen Greco