INSIDE SCOOP

Having been almost sequestered during this most frigid, icy and dismal winter, I have been remiss in actually visiting any new creamery shops to share with you. So, in the spirit of March and the wearing of the green, I bring you some Celtic delights to find in your travels once the frozen fist of Mr. Freeze loosens his grip and we can, once again, spin our wheels in search of the finest scoops around.

Celtic Creamery

Locations in Carolina Beach, Smithfield, Hendersonville and Wilmington NC

celticcreamery.com

The back story to North Carolina’s Celtic Creamery shops has its beginning in Ballybunion, a coastal town and seaside resort in County Kerry, Ireland, on the Wild Atlantic Way. Ireland is a magical land in which to ride your motorcycle, and should you find yourself in this quaint spot, you should certainly seek Sundaes, Joanna and Kevin McCarthy’s labor of love, an award-winning, retro family run ice cream parlor, scooping happiness since 2005. What makes Sundaes ice cream so award-winning? It’s the delicious, fresh cream and milk from the Irish dairy cows, of course.

Anyway, as the joke goes, ‘This American walks into an ice cream shop…’ only this was no joke. Jeff Hogan from Carolina Beach, NC was on vacation and, in seeking out some ice cream, found himself a new business venture. After some back and forth correspondence, a deal was struck and, to keep the Irish connection strong, as that is the foundation of Sundaes, the ‘Celtic Creamery’ was born in 2018.

Sourcing all their North Carolina ingredients from as many local vendors and incorporating Irish products when possible, their scrumptious and rich ice cream is churned daily on premise. In addition to the ice cream, the amazing aroma of freshly-baked doughnuts can be inhaled throughout the shops. There is a daily selection of 14 flavors each day, chosen from their over 58 authentic Irish recipes. Fresh fruit is used for flavor, thus every season has its star, such as summer peach or autumn apple. Some of their rotating flavors include Rather Good Banana Pud, Celtic Coffee, From the Sea and Bee (sea salt, caramel and honey) and, of course, Irish Butter Pecan. While a scoop can surely satisfy, it’s their sundaes that bring true happiness – Knickerbocker Glory: Strawberry and Vanilla ice cream surround a selection of sweet berries, with fresh cream and raspberry sauce on top; Surfer Special: Four hot mini doughnuts, with two scoops of ice cream, smothered in fresh cream, hot chocolate sauce and chocolate shavings – Cowabunga, dude! There’s also fresh-made ice cream sandwiches, milkshakes, floats and, should you need an extra jolt to balance the sugar, Affogato with a hot shot of Celtic Coffee.

May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields, and, may you find yourself soon at a Celtic Creamery shop.

Scottish Highland Creamery

103 S. Morris St, Oxford, MD

410-924-6298 • scottishhighlandcreamery.com • Seasonal Hours

For just over 20 years, Victor and Susan Barlow have been scooping their homemade ice cream. Victor grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland and lived above an Italian ice cream parlor, Mr. Boni’s, dating back to 1907. Victor began working there at 15 and later became the production and facility manager, the only person outside of the family bloodline to learn the secret family recipes – one of only four humans on this earth.

Scottish Highlands Creamery has been on the Eastern Shore of Maryland since 2006 They began their seasonal scooping at ‘The Window’ located at 314 Tilghman Street in Oxford, MD and expanded to their other location, The Oxford Social Café, in 2018. Five years later, after renovating an historic building in the heart of Oxford, across from the waterfront Town Park, The Mews opened, allowing them to expand their offerings as well as develop a premium Scottish Highland Creamery soft serve to be served at ‘The Window’.

In 2013, what they called ‘the year that changed everything’, they were rated #5 in the country by TripAdvisor for best small batch ice cream. This brought customers from all over the country.

As with all the best ice cream made, Scottish Highland Creamery sources the freshest ingredients, using local as much as possible, as well as importing special flavorings from Italy. And Victor has been super busy, developing all 600 flavors, which he makes by hand, all by himself. As Susan says, ‘The passion that he has for this calling in life…you can’t do that unless it’s in your heart and soul.’

In 2018, Richard and Christine Leggett purchased the Creamery and have honored the Barlows’ legacy of excellence while expanding operations to The Mews and increased seasonal offerings. Some of the excellent flavors offered include Double Belgian Chocolate, Crushed Strawberry, Cherry Mallow, Lemon Meringue Pie, Vanilla with Honey and Cinnamon or Old Bay with Potato Chips and Caramel. As they say, you can have them in a cup, on a cone, through a straw or in a sundae with all the fixins.

The Robert Morris Inn is a great lodging in Oxford, with restaurant, and would make a fine overnight while exploring this part of the Eastern Shore, including a couple of scoops at the Scottish Highland Creamery. Slainte!