If It’s Summer, It Must Be Picnic Time July 30, 2014 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Yes, summer is here, finally! And, why not enjoy a picnic with family and friends? Easy comfort foods, red gingham tablecloths, lemonade and sugar cookies, and, even an ant or two are so fun. Perhaps, we feel as though we are going on a mini vacation. Packing up the picnic basket, gathering chairs, quilts, candles, causes one to relax and enjoy the simplicity of it all. To be quite honest, though, I’m usually not enthused about partaking in picnics. I’m sure it relates to hot, humid, buggy experiences of days past. I kept thinking to myself, “Do people really enjoy this type of al fresco dining?” And, the answer is “but, of course.” But, hold on, I recently had one of those “ah-ah” moments when I found myself in the middle of planning a very elegant, pre-theatre picnic. Such fun, for we kept enhancing the dinner by adding to the ambience with French china and linens, silver tableware, silver candelabra, and fresh flowers. Ok, I finally get it!! The menu must be delicious, and fun. For serving pieces, I’ve been using the Weck canning jars. Besides, using these jars for putting up garden fruits and vegetables, they provide the perfect “vessel” for soups, salads, and desserts; thank you, Marcel’s for selling these gems. They are perfect for individual servings of a dessert, such as the English, “posset”. This is similar to a panna cotta, but, lighter and so good. POSSET….inspired by Laura Calder 1 ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup sugar ½ cup lemon juice Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring it to a boil, and boil for 3 minutes. Pour into Weck jam jars or pretty glasses. Put in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours till firm. I like to serve with fresh berries on top of the posset.
My New Favorite Gadget by Chef Jamie Bordoshuk July 24, 2014 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Even though I’m pretty good at rolling sushi (I’ve definitely taught my fair share of Sushi classes) this new gadget caught my eye. The Rice Cube, a red square box that looks like a 3D version of Tetris, and fits together like a puzzle to form a cube of rice. My son had just graduated from high school. When asked what food he wanted for his Graduation party, he immediately replied Sushi. After making a batch of sushi rice, I decided to give the Rice Cube a work out. I made the rice cubes and added a thin slice of sashimi grade tuna on top. Finally I wrapped a band of nori around the middle. My first appetizer was done and it was time to forge on. For the next appetizer, I mixed rice with softened cream cheese, minced capers and red onions. I put the rice mixture into the cube, and when it came out, I topped it with a slice of smoked salmon. It was a New York Bagel and Lox with an Asian flair. On to dessert. Adding a bit of coconut milk and water to the next batch of rice gave it a sweet touch. After the rice went through the bright red box, coming out a perfect square, strawberries and pineapple topped it off perfectly. A drizzle of chocolate sauce finished it off. I give this Rice Cube 5-stars, and challenge you to put your imagination to work and come up with your own Rice Cube inventions.
Meet Us at Marcel’s by Kathy Malpede July 22, 2014 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment As I have had the pleasure of working at Marcel’s these last few months and getting to know the faces behind the designs, merchandise, recipes and overall cooking expertise that make Marcel’s a true gem, I’ve made new friends and mentors. Wouldn’t you love to learn a little more about our talented retail staff who help us all cook, create and celebrate? One of Retail Manager Dana Williams’ favorite things about Marcel’s is the access she has to great culinary information. Some of her very favorite recipes these last three years have come from co-workers, customers and our chefs! Thanks to Teri, Dana has become quite the scone baker. Thanks to Chef Kelly, she has fallen in love with canning and preserving. Dana’s very favorite appetizer is a twist on a recipe in the book Plenty that she received from one of her favorite customers, Jani Casto. Dana feels that being surrounded by people that love to talk about all things food just seems to suit her! Rita Cevaal is one of our retail leads. Her favorite thing at Marcel’s is all of our local and small batch food products. These items are not easily found elsewhere. Local, unique and yummy! Oh to have a chef in the family! Jamie Bordoshuk, another one of our retail leads and accomplished chefs, was visiting family a few years ago in Washington D.C. For Thanksgiving, he made an Eggs Benedict breakfast on Friday morning for the entire family. That’s 36 plates of Eggs Benedict!! Here are a few of us with our new friend Ina Pinkney As Diane Sibon’s husband Steve would tell it, before they moved to Toronto, all she could make was a microwaved baked potato. She then met two great friends, who were, and still are, “foodies”! Through their friendship she developed her appreciation of good food and wine as well as her love of cooking and entertaining. She still visits them once a year. Teri Hiben’s favorite meal to prepare is for her 3 young adult sons and their friends. This has been a great joy for her; especially over the past 10 years when they have all brought hungry friends home for dinner. Being at the table with them allows her to have a peek into how her sons interact with their friends and get a glimpse at their growing relationships. Teri enjoys deciding what to make, usually lots of meat or chicken, some tasty potatoes, a fresh vegetable and a huge salad are included. Dessert is the easiest to prepare for Teri, it’s her chocolate cake or a seasonal pie, always with a scoop of ice cream. She is always delighted to see a table of well-fed young people, talking, laughing and full of life. One of Deb Forkins’ favorite things about Marcel’s has been the connections that it has offered her – new friendships from the talented, high-energy, creative team that she works with to the wonderful people who walk through Marcel’s doors everyday. One of the many fun evenings of the year is when the retail staff takes an evening after the store closes and decorates long into the night turning the store into a winter wonderland for the holidays. Spirits are jovial and much laughter occurs amid the work. Oh, and usually wine is served. Traveling is a passion for Carolyn Raber. One of her best trips was 4 days spent cruising the coast of Maine on board a 1919 wooden windjammer ship. There was no electricity or running water, but fantastic meals were served from the wood-burning stove! Karen Fleming loves good movies. Her absolute favorite cooking movie is “Julie & Julia.” Karen loved learning about Julia Child’s life and early years in France. She thinks of her every time she chops an onion! Watching Julie’s struggles and determination to cook Julia Child’s recipes always inspires Karen to try new things in the kitchen. Bon Appetit! When Kelly Montgomery first became interested in learning to cook, she read Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volumes 1 and 2, cover to cover. She doesn’t think she’s ever made any of those recipes, but learned SO MUCH. Kelly reads cookbooks front to back instead of browsing for recipes! And of course, last but not least, our fearless leader, Jill Foucré and her husband Bob Bye. For ten consecutive years Jill and Bob hosted an annual pig roast at their home that was the social event of the season! It grew from about 60 people to 150 over the years with a 200 pound pig, a live band, and enough food for an army which Jill cooked (including 50 – 60 dozen homemade cookies), enlisting the help of anyone who walked into the kitchen! The pre-party on Friday night would draw 50 – 60 people and the pre-pre party on Thursday night wasn’t too shabby either. Then there was the post-party on Sunday… Those were the days! Come into Marcel’s and meet our staff. We would love to help you cook, create, and celebrate!
Grilled Fresh Fish Packets with Corn, Tomatoes, and Yukon Gold Potatoes July 18, 2014 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment Grilled Fresh Fish Packets with Corn, Tomatoes, and Yukon Gold Potatoes 2014-07-18 12:37:51 Serves 6 Print Ingredients 24 oz. Sea Bass or other firm fleshed white fish or wild salmon, cut into 4 oz portions 3 Ears of corn, shucked 1 Pound grape tomatoes, halved 3 Large Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into ¼” dice 1 Pound fresh fava beans in the pod, removed from the pod, steamed and shelled (or substitute with 1 C. thawed edamame) ¼ C. Pinot Grigio ¼ C. Packed fresh basil leaves, chiffonade ¼ C. Packed baby arugula leaves, chiffonade 2 T. Packed fresh mint leaves, chiffonade 6 Thin slices unsalted butter Salt and pepper to taste Instructions Arrange 6 12” square sheets of foil on a work surface. Drizzle or spray each with olive oil. Center a piece of fish on each sheet of foil. Combine the shucked corn, halved tomatoes, diced potatoes, and fresh fava beans in a large bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Spoon the mixture evenly over each fish filet. Combine the fresh herbs and divide between the fish filets. Dribble with the pinot grigio and place a thin slice of unsalted butter on top of all, then wrap the packets, completely sealing the fish and ingredients inside. Place the packets on a medium hot grill and cook, depending upon the thickness of the fish. Thicker sea bass filets will take 15 minutes, thin wild salmon filets will take 6-8 minutes. Carefully remove one packet from the grill to test for doneness, and re-seal and return it to the grill if needed. Arrange the foil packets on dinner plates, open carefully, and enjoy! By Robin Nathan Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/
No Knead Bread July 14, 2014 by Jill Foucre Leave a Comment No Knead Bread 2014-07-14 12:04:53 Print Ingredients 4 cups bread flour 2 cups room temperature water 1/2 tsp yeast 2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper Need 4 or 5 quart lidded pot that can withstand high baking temperatures (such as cast iron). Instructions Combine dry ingredients. Add water a little at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon. Cover, and let sit 18 - 24 hours. Put pot into a preheated 450 degree oven, leave for 30 minutes. While pot is heating, turn dough out onto a floured surface and with floured hands, form into a free form ball. Let rest under a towel. When the heated pot is ready, remove from oven and lift dough into it. Bake for 30 minutes with lid on, remove lid and bake for another 20 minutes. Turn out immediately and let cool before slicing. Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/