Marcel's Culinary Experience

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Jill Foucre

Savory French Toast Bites

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Savory French Toast Bites
Yields 60
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Ingredients
  1. 1 head garlic
  2. 1 teaspoon olive oil
  3. 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  4. 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  5. 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  6. 3 large eggs
  7. 1 1/3 cup milk
  8. 1 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  9. 1 medium (12-oz) loaf challah bread (or brioche), or approximately half a large loaf, cut into 1-inch thick slices
  10. 1 tomato, seeded and diced
  11. 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus a few leaves thinly sliced for garnish
Instructions
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Cut the top off the head of garlic, leaving the remainder intact. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil and wrap in foil, then place it in the oven. Roast the garlic until very fragrant, about 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then squeeze out the softened garlic and mash into a paste.
  2. To make the French toast batter, begin by combining the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, then whisk in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan cheese which will make the batter lumpy. If using challah bread, pre-cut the slices so they lay evenly in a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish, sort of like creating a jigsaw puzzle. Remove the bread and set aside. Coat the baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. One at a time, dip each piece of bread in the batter and turn over to coat both sides. Arrange the bread in the baking dish. Stir the roasted garlic, diced tomato and chopped basil into the remaining batter and mix well. Spread the batter evenly over the French toast.
  4. Bake the French toast uncovered at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool for 15 minutes, then use a 1-inch round cutter to portion the French toast into bite-sized rounds.
  5. If making ahead, arrange the rounds snugly in a baking dish and chill. To reheat, bake at 250°F for 10 minutes.
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres Handbook
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/

A New Chapter for the Marcel’s Family

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Dear Friends, Customers, Partners and Supporters,

These past 13 years have been an incredible time in Glen Ellyn and beyond. It was a leap of faith in the fall of 2010 to contemplate starting a new business in the post-recession world of closed storefronts and general uncertainty. But I had an idea that had been brewing for a few years so, in spite of it all, the time had come to start a new career as an entrepreneur and my hometown of Glen Ellyn was the perfect place to do that.

I could not have been happier bringing my vision to life in 2011 with trusted partners, team members and the community and especially honoring my French chef grandfather, Marcel. The journey continued in 2015 with the opening of the jewel on the corner, Marché and then bringing our chefs to you with Maison in 2017.

Watching our town embrace the real meaning of shop local was so gratifying and was an ethos that carried us through the challenging days of the pandemic. It made me proud to see what community involvement can do to invigorate our downtown and Village.

So today it is both bittersweet and thrilling for me to announce that on June 1st, 2023 I am turning the reins of the Marcel’s family of businesses over to a fellow business owner and lover of all things beautiful and delicious, ready to add her dreams to the Marcel’s, Marché and Maison story.

Renee DiSanto has been adding layers to her own evolving and creative career on a parallel course, based on the same premise: to cook, create and celebrate through life. She is one half of the immensely successful, award-winning style mavens of Park and Oak Interiors. And recently, they have brought their interior styling and merchandising panache to the brick-and-mortar store, Park and Oak Collected, around the corner on Pennsylvania Avenue.

France is also in Renee’s blood, as her mother’s side hails from there and her great-grandfather was a French baker (as was mine!). She has ambitious plans to honor her families’ French roots throughout all of the businesses.

Renee and I are putting our heads together for a smooth transition ensuring that what you have come to know and love about the Marcel’s family of brands is consistently exceeding your expectations. There will be many exciting new plans in store to continue to surprise and delight you, our favorite followers. And, I will be around to assist with the process for some time.

So, the legacy continues and the stories layer with good friends, good food and good will within our close-knit community and beyond.

Thank you for being a part of my journey and for extending the welcome to Renee that she so deserves. The Marcel’s legacy is in good hands.

Jill Foucré

Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes

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Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes
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Ingredients
  1. ¼ cup olive oil
  2. 3 T s.a.l.t. Sisters Tuscan Farmhouse Blend
  3. ½ cup poppy seed dressing
  4. 12 oz bite size pasta such as rotini
  5. 1 ½ cups cut up cubed chicken
  6. ¾ cup halved red grapes
  7. ½ cup thinly sliced celery
  8. ¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Instructions
  1. Empty pasta into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes stirring occasionally; drain.
  2. In large bowl, combine s.a.l.t. Sisters seasoning and olive oil until seasoning is hydrated. Whisk in poppy seed dressing until well blended.
  3. Add pasta to dressing mixture and combine until pasta is thoroughly coated. Add remaining ingredients; toss to combine.
  4. Serve immediately, or refrigerate.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/

Spinach Artichoke Dip Pizza

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Spinach Artichoke Dip Pizza
From The Weekday Vegetarians
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Ingredients
  1. 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
  2. 1 (16 oz) pizza dough, store bought or homemade, at room temperature
  3. ¼ tsp garlic powder
  4. 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
  5. ½ cup thawed frozen chopped spinach, drained and squeezed completely dry
  6. ¼ cup mayonnaise
  7. 1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella
  8. ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ½ oz)
  9. 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 475 F. Place oven rack in middle position.
  2. Brush an 18x13 in sheet pan with 1 T of olive oil. Drop the dough in the center of the pan and press and stretch out the dough with your fingers. You may not get all the way to the edges of the pan. Mix the garlic powder and remaining T olive oil together and brush the perimeter of the dough.
  3. In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, spinach, mayo, mozzarella, parmesan, and worcestershire. Spread the mixture over the crust, leaving a 1-inch border.
  4. Bake on the middle rack until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before cutting.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/

Double Chocolate Scones

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Double Chocolate Scones
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Ingredients
  1. 2 c. flour
  2. 1/3 c. cocoa
  3. 1/3 c. brown sugar
  4. 2 tsp. baking powder
  5. 3/4 tsp. baking soda
  6. 1/8 tsp. salt
  7. 1/2 c. butter, cut into small pieces
  8. 1 egg yolk
  9. 8 oz. (1 c.) plain yogurt
  10. 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Mix together flour through salt. Cut in butter until butter is size of small peas. Mix together egg and yogurt and mix with dry ingredients and choc. chips. Roll into 2 discs about 3/4” thick. Cut each disc into 8 wedges. Put on cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Marcel's Culinary Experience https://www.marcelsculinaryexperience.com/