UNTOLD BREWING TAPROOM (COMING

SOON)

96 Derby St., Suite 330A Hingham 781-378-0559 untoldbrewing.com

TEAM: Owners Mike Dyer and Matt Elder are opening their second brewery and taproom to the right of Talbot’s at Derby Street Shops.

VISION: For the past two years, the team at Scituate’s Untold Brewing has been operating a seasonal beer garden at the bustling Hingham shopping center, which was hugely successful. Opening a second taproom location was the next logical step.

VIBE: Similar to the look and feel of their Scituate brewery, the casually elegant brewery features comfortable couches and warm wooden accents throughout the 2,500-square-foot space.

FLAVOR: Untold Brewing releases three to four new beers each week while also offering a rotating selection of brews on tap along with favorite staples like their East by Northwest IPA. They have partnered with Duxbury’s Clandestine Kitchen to also offer ready-to-enjoy salads, soups, charcuterie boards, flatbreads, birria tacos, and quinoa bowls - all scratch made and seasonally inspired.

Handcrafted in small batches and infused with local spirits, Rockland-based Crème de Liqueur is taking ice cream to new heights.

By MARIA ALLEN

hether you’re serving dessert at a chic holiday soirée or simply craving an indulgent treat to enjoy while watching a movie at home on the couch, you can’t go wrong with a couple scoops of Crème de Liqueur This South Shore brand of liquor-infused ice cream custard is the brainchild of Nisreen Galloway and Elizabeth Nash, two friends who met while taking an entrepreneurial studies class at Emerson College. Among other things, the self-proclaimed foodies bonded over a shared love of ice cream and their memories of the interesting ways their family members liked to jazz up desserts.

Galloway, who grew up outside Boston and now lives in Stoughton, remembers her dad pouring a shot of brandy over his Sunday ice cream sundaes. Nash, who grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, recalls the way family friends would often pour a shot of vodka over their lemon sorbet at the end of elegant dinner parties. Inspired by these experiences, the two friends decided to try their hand at making handcrafted boozy ice cream. Elizabeth started playing around with recipes for frozen custard (a Wisconsin favorite that is similar to ice cream, but made with eggs in addition to cream, sugar, and flavoring). Incorporating local spirits into the mix, she crafted a rich and creamy frozen delicacy unlike anything else on the market.

“We knew that we had to bring this delicious dessert to the masses,” says Galloway, who partnered with Nash to launch Crème de Liqueur in both of their home states. After spending some time figuring out the permits and other things they needed, they sold their first batch of liquor-infused frozen custard in Wisconsin in July of 2021, followed by a Massachusetts launch just a few months later, in October.

“While we’re based in two different states, we work together to run the business as if we’re in the same place,” says Galloway. “Beyond the stuff that keeps us geographically separated, like actually making the ice cream and delivering products, etc, we split the business responsibilities pretty equally. We are often both in the kitchen at the same time in separate states and checking in on what flavors we are having the most fun making that day.”

Nash and Galloway use the same basic recipe but customize their products for their regional markets by adding spirits from local distillers into the mix. For example, one of their flagship flavors, Chocolate Brownie Bourbon, features Nor’Easter bourbon from Triple Eight Distillery out of Nantucket. “Their bourbon has a more caramel finish than typical New England bourbon whiskey and pairs well with the fudgy brownies we get fresh from Mama B’s Tasty Treats in Rockland, Massachusetts,” says Galloway. “However, if you were to get a pint of the same flavor in Wisconsin, you’d taste a bit more rich and sweet notes from Central Standard Distilleries Bourbon (Milwaukee, WI).

This summer, Crème de Liqueur launched an Espresso Martini flavor that contained Taza Chocolate (Somerville) Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans for extra crunch. “Our Twisted Apple Pie was created to put the emphasis on the Demon Seed Whiskey coming out of Boston Harbor Distillery,” says Galloway, “The surprising spice of the scorpion pepper in their whiskey paired expertly with the crisp apple pie from Petsi Pies in Somerville.”

Crème de Liqueur flavors are rotated by season. Favorites include: French Vanilla Cognac, Rum-Soaked Maple Walnut, Rye Whiskey S’mores, Vanilla Bean Bourbon, Pistachio Amaretto and Vanilla Bean Horchata.

While Nash has made Crème de Liqueur her full-time gig, the business is still technically a side hustle for Galloway, who burns the midnight oil crafting batches by hand in a commercial kitchen in Rockland. On days she’s not working at her day job, she can often be found peddling ice cream custard at local farmers markets. Seeing her customers’ eyes light up after they taste a new flavor has been one of the biggest rewards. “Our liquor-infused frozen custard isn’t just about getting a buzz,” explains Galloway. “It’s a handcrafted dessert that focuses on sophisticated flavors and unique pairings. We designed Crème de Liqueur to be a celebration of local flavor in each pint.”

For more information on Crème de Liqueur, visit cheerstoicecream.com.

Shelly’s Tea Rooms offers an authentically English tea room experience in Plymouth.

Written by JENNIFER H. MCINERNEY

Photography by KATE ROGAN

Landing in Plymouth

After vacationing in America for two decades, the couple entertained dreams of someday moving their family across the pond and opening their own business. “You reach a point in life when you have to take the chance or you’ll never do it,” says Sean. Of all the places they’d visited in the United States, Massachusetts really spoke to them.

“Maybe it’s the weather,” Michelle jokes, glancing outside at the rain pelting the shop’s storefront. “We came here and found that there wasn’t already a tea shop in the area. The penny dropped. This seemed like the perfect place for Shelly’s Tea Rooms.”

Steeped in their own history of running two tea rooms in Kent, England, since 2007, the Sinclairs felt confident in their ability to deliver an authentic English tea shop experience. In late 2019, they explored Plymouth, Massachusetts, searching for an ideal location to open Shelly’s Tea Rooms in America. They found the perfect spot at 51 Court Street, located in good company beside a variety of restaurants, bars, retail shops and offices, and which enjoys a steady stream of foot traffic.

The couple signed the lease, took photos and videos of what was then an office space, and then returned home to England to draft their renovation plans. Little did they know that only a few months later, a global pandemic would descend and force them to manage the renovation of their restaurant remotely. They had to rely on photos and videos to direct contractors, while they waited patiently for their U.S. visas to come through.

Finally, in February of this year, Shelly’s Tea Rooms opened its doors in Plymouth. “The welcome we’ve had has been phenomenal,” Sean says. “Everyone has been so supportive—the business community, our new customers and returning customers,” Michelle adds.

The Authentic Afternoon Tea Experience

To help guide visitors at Shelly’s Tea Rooms, each table is set with a copy of “The Complete How To Guide for an English Tea Rooms,” which outlines the afternoon tea tradition, from the history and etiquette to explanations of what is served. However, the Sinclairs are quick to point out that customers are encouraged to enjoy their tea experience in their own way.

“Some people are initially intimidated, but there’s no right or wrong way to do it,” says Sean. “It’s nice to be able to share the experience of an authentic afternoon tea with people who might not be familiar, and show them how to enjoy it,” Michelle adds. In England, afternoon tea is typically served between two and five o’clock, but at Shelly’s Tea Rooms, bookings are made from 11 a.m. and later. For “the ultimate indulgence,” Shelly’s Tea Rooms presents The Windsor, which encompasses “three tiers of decadence.” This option begins with a glass of chilled hibiscus iced tea in warmer months or hot mulled wine tea in colder months. Next, a pot of loose-leaf tea is accompanied by a selection of delicate crustless finger sandwiches, followed by two scones, which are served with clotted cream and strawberry preserves, and finally, petite cakes and desserts.

The Cream Tea is considered the “everyday indulgence,” which is what Shelly’s Tea Rooms became famous for in England. This option features two freshly baked scones with clotted cream and strawberry preserves and a pot of loose-leaf tea. For the younger set (under age 10), the Prince & Princess High Tea includes two crustless finger sandwiches, a classic or fruit scone with clotted cream and strawberry preserves, and a petite cake, along with a drink of choice.

The extensive menu offers 103 varieties of loose-leaf tea, including black, green, white, Oolong, herbal, fruit, organic and decaffeinated. In addition, the Sinclairs serve specialty teas, such as Champagne Tea, remedy teas (to help relieve various ailments, including hypertension, perimenopause and high cholesterol), Quirky Teas (such as Apple Pie Tea, Birthday Cake Tea, Pina Colada, and Pumpkin Spice), high caffeine tea, tea lattes and iced tea. For the non-tea-drinker, they serve coffee prepared in a French press and homemade hot chocolate made with dark Belgian chocolate buttons. The menu also includes lunch options, “lite bites,” and vegan, dairy- and gluten-free offerings.

Before leaving Shelly’s Tea Rooms, be sure to visit the well-stocked gift shop bearing tea-inspired merchandise, chocolates, English souvenirs, homemade take-and-bake scones and, of course, tea.

Shelly’s Tea Rooms is open seven days a week, and reservations are recommended. Bridal and baby showers are also available. For additional information, visit shellystearooms.com.