Rachel Booth had long dreamed about opening an ice cream shop, and a few months ago the vision was set into action — when she took over a northeast Minneapolis nook and left her job as general manager at the Sheridan Room.
But Crepe & Spoon (crepeandspoon.com, 339 22nd Av. NE., Mpls.), when it debuts sometime in December, will hardly be a typical frozen treat emporium.
First, there's the vegan focus. Booth is opting to use coconut and almond milks instead of traditional cream in most of the flavors (maybe eight of 10 total) and rely on seasonal produce and herbs. The crêpes won't contain animal products, either, though Booth and business partner Michael Beachy are mulling whether to also include regular non-vegan crêpes.
"The biggest thing was just to create new options," said Booth, who was responsible for developing off-the-beaten-path ice cream flavors such as popcorn, basil and black pepper at the Sheridan Room. "Flavors that speak for themselves rather than just the fat content. We want people to feel good about eating it."
And there's a further twist. Booth, who comes from a bar management background, is creating an alcohol-free "cocktail program" for the frosty lineup. Booth's vision is to celebrate the ingredients rather than the hooch.
That means a gin and tonic is made by infusing an ice cream base with flavors of juniper berries and quinine, a major ingredient in tonic. And an old fashioned would incorporate rye (the grain, not the whiskey), cherries and oranges.
That concept could eventually make its way to the crêpe side, too, but at the moment Booth is only committing to a jam crêpe, using house-made preserves. Although the building — a former storage building for a liquor store — is zoned for a liquor license, don't expect any actual cocktails for now.
"For now we're just keeping it simple — ice cream and crêpes," Booth said.
