Captivated by Cream & Sugar Cafe's "Freak Shakes," I sat down with owner/entrepreneur Alyce Kallman of Bethel's Cream & Sugar Cafe to discover the method to her madness.
JH: You say on your website that you were inspired by cafés in Morocco, where you spent much of your childhood. Can you tell me about this? Do Moroccan cafés often feature ice cream?
AK: My experience in Morocco allowed me the privilege of learning about other cultures, hospitality, and unforgettable food. When I do get to cook, I use Moroccan spices in almost everything. I don’t remember ice cream really is a thing in Morocco. They did, however, have great Creperies as well as beignets that were sold on the beach.
JH: So why ice cream?
AK: I’ve always wanted a cafe since I was a little girl in Morrocco and when I found this location in Bethel it was already an ice cream shop. I figured, why not?
JH: What inspires your wonderfully crazy ice cream concoctions? Do you have an ice cream muse?
AK: I’m constantly thinking of new ways to make our shakes and Sundaes more exciting than the last. When I get the opportunity to get to know our customers, I ask them what they would like to see added to our creations. We are limited to what we can make since we don’t have a full kitchen...yet. We offer great Ice cream, however, we are becoming known for the experience. We have so much fun celebrating everyone’s birthdays and other special occasions. We even had the customer bring his niece in to celebrate her first-day wearing braces. Much of my creative inspiration comes from our customers, especially the little ones. They have the best imaginations and they aren’t bound by fear of judgment, calories or mockery. They just make me want to go for it and see what happens.
JH: You are very active in the Bethel community. What is your vision for downtown Bethel and Cream & Sugar’s part in that vision?
AK: Bethel is constantly growing, in fact, we meet new families almost every week. We have great restaurants and shops here and there is room for even more retail growth. Our customers travel from all over and we often get asked if more shops will open up, how the schools are etc. I would love to see a few more shops selling Unique things that you can’t find at the mall.
JH: What is the best part of your job?
AK: What I love, even more than the smiles and laughter, is when I see a family actually talking to each other, with their phones face down on the tables ( after they take pics of course ).
JH: Anything else you wish, I’d asked?
AK: I would love to be a part of a show which would be called “shake wars”. Everyone competes for the best shake, with the ingredients provided to them.
JH: I think you ought to create that show, Alyce. I think it would be a hit!
Visit Cream & Sugar Cafe online HERE.Cream & Sugar Cafe is located at 7 P T Barnum Square in Bethel.
*Image courtesy of Cream & Sugar Cafe Facebook Page.