Le Petit Marché

We’ve had another change here at LPM.  Ryne has move on to another opportunity.  We wish him the very best in his new position.  So, you will see some new faces here.  Please be patient with all of us as we adjust to new responsibilities.

We will be serving our Petit Plate menu nightly from 5pm til closing, Check it out at “Breakfast Lunch and Dinner,” above.
Thursday Night Pasta for Get Lit(erary)–what else to salute Spring but Pasta Primavera served with bread & salad for $10.

Friday Night Fish–Enjoy our fresh cod either English-style or Grilled on a Bed of Sauteed Fresh Vegetables ($11).

Saturday Night–Flatbreads with your choice of any/all toppings served with a Tossed Green Salad ($10) or Asparagus with Lemon Aioli Sauce.

Get Literary

Join us Thursday, May 16th, at 7pm for Odes to Spring, Mothers and Baseball.  We will be reading works by e.e.cummings, Shakespeare, and John Updike, among others. And, we will end the night with “Who’s On First.” In honor of the season, we will offer $3.00 beers and May Wine Sparklers for $4.00.

Just received a great wine shipment!  Read on then come on in for a glass!  The Chateau du Donjon is back–one of my all time favorite French wines!

Château du Donjon 2012 Rosé

Situated in Minervois, one of the oldest wine-producing areas in the Languedoc, Château du Donjon has been in the Panis family for 500 years. Jean Panis took the reins from his father, Guy, in 1996 and has taken the estate to new heights, with the historic 1998 vintage marking the beginning of a golden era that continues to this day. Sustainably grown, certified Veritas.

Tasting Notes: Pink to salmon color. Refreshing aromas include ripe strawberries, red cherries and red plums. Less spicy and herbal but with very pure intense red fruit flavors. Fully dry but ripe and soft, inviting and mouth-filling.     40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 30% Cinsault.

Serve With: This has enough weight to match with chicken, sausage or ham, but it would also be excellent with fresh fruits or fruit desserts.

Château du Donjon 2011 Grande Tradition

Tasting Notes: Donjon’s Flagship bottling. Powerful primary aromas of ripe black fruit and hints of strawberry/raspberry. Very dense on the palate, with black fruit and red cherry flavors. Firm, structured and exceptionally rich. 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 20% Carignan.

Serve With: Excellent with strong cheeses, grilled meats/vegetables, or rich poultry dishes such as duck.

Penya 2012 Rosé                                                                   Cases de Pene is a tiny village in the Roussillon region of Southern France, just 30 miles north of the Spain. Ceded to France in the mid 17th century, the area is still known as “French Catalonia”. We celebrate this heritage with the Catalan spelling of the ancient Château and village Cooperative: “Penya”.

Tasting Notes: Offers fresh aromas of Rainier cherries, garrigue, and
hints of red raspberry and melon. Rich, full-bodied, yet bright on the palate.
60% Grenache, 40% Syrah.

Serve With: Great as an aperitif or an accompaniment to hearty
salads, fish and shellfish, charcuterie, frittata, and more.

Las Valles 2011 Tempranillo – Garnacha – Syrah        Las Valles (translates to “The Valleys”) is produced by Bodegas Virgen del Águila, a modern, progressive cooperative near the town of Paniza. The bodega offers a wealth of vines (nearly 5,500 acres!) planted in prime terroir (more than 2,500 ft above sea level!) nestled against the Iberico mountain range.

Tasting Notes: This smooth, well-balanced red blend offers aromas of blackberries, blueberries and cassis, with intense fruit on the palate and a slightly peppery finish.                                      40% Tempranillo, 40% Garnacha, 20% Syrah.

Serve With: Enjoy on its own, or paired with mild cheeses, simple pizza, pasta or red/white meat dishes, and more.

Villa des Anges 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon                “Villa des Anges” is crafted by winemaker Jeff Carrel at the Espitalet des Anges domaine in Capestang. Situated on the ruins of an ancient Roman villa, the domaine is owned by Jaqueline Menard de Ginestous, who married-into and is herself from a prominent Languedocienne wine-growing family.

Tasting Notes: A wine of great freshness, intensity and concentration. Well-structured, offering aromas of black cherries, with hints of red pepper and light, spicy cumin/coriander notes. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Serve With: Enjoy with a wide range of red meat and cheese dishes.

Lots of fun and good food this week! For lunch, we are featuring Banh Mi’s & Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and Creamy Mushroom (Wednesday & Thursday) or Fresh Broccoli (Friday & Saturday).  After 5pm enjoy Lemon Gnocchi with Spinach & Mushrooms for Thursday’s Dinner, our fabulous Fish & Chips or Grilled Fish & Veggies Friday and Flatbreads & Crepes on Saturday.  Not so hungry? Try our Greek Vegetarian Platter, Pate Plate or Bacon & Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos.

And, Saturday from 5-730 Susan Sieber will be demonstrating silk painting. Come and see how she creates the beautiful art hanging on the wall. And, as an extra treat, sample some of our home-made sangria!  The wine will be on sale and I’ll print up the recipe for you.

Voting is still going on for Best of the Fox!  Vote often for your favorites at Best of the Fox.

Get Lit(erary), Thursday, 4/18, 7:30pm

I think we’ve come up with an enjoyable evening of readings. we have chosen several Peter Yarrow pieces to read in honor of his upcoming appearance at Raue Center.  We round it out with several Neil Gaiman short stories–”Don’t Ask Jack,” “Sweeper of Dreams,” and “The Case of the Four and Twenty Blackbirds.” And, we’ll end with a rousing rendition of….guess what?

Our readers will be Alex McMillan, Kim Kuzma, Melissa Thomfohrda, Ivan Ewert and Michael Wasz.

Peter Yarrow Concert

There are still some tickets available for what promises to be one of the highlights of the Raue season so don’t miss it!  We are all going to the show so the shop will close at 8pm Saturday and reopen after the concert for an After Party.  Join us for complimentary appetizers.  Of course, wine, beer & cocktails will be available.

Buy Tickets Here

It’s CSA Time

SO SIGN UP!
We will have sign-up brochures here for you to fill out.  Then you can pick up their wonderful fruits & vegetables right here at LPM every week.

NICHOLS FARM CSA

What a great opening for Susan Sieber last Saturday evening!  Thanks to all who came out!  Her silk art will be on display through the end of the month AND there will be several extra pieces available for LADIES NIGHT.  And, don’t forget to put Saturday, April 20th on your calendars. Susan will be doing a silk painting demonstration that day.

This week’s LUNCH MENU includes Tomato Soup with Fresh Basil; Grilled Cheese with your choice of add-ins including our own homemade pesto; Pate & Asian Slaw Baguettes and Pulled Pork on Brioche Buns.
DINNERS (served from 5-9) will be:  Asparagus & Mushroom White Lasagna with salad & bread on Thursday; Fish & Chips or Grilled Cod & Sauteed Veggies on Friday; and, Flatbreads or Crepes filled with Peas, Asparagus and Mushrooms in Cream, topped with Crispy Bacon Crumbles served with salad & bread.
BREAKFAST served Saturday & Sunday starting at 930.  Check out the menus by clicking the Breakfast Menu above..

LADIES NIGHT OUT  SPECIALS:
We will be offering tastes and discounts on Robertson Naturally Sweet Wines from South Africa and Smarterita, our new low-cal margarita in a bottle!  As always, feel free to make your purchases, leave them here and return to pick them up when you finish shopping.
In addition, Rita and colleagues from InSpire (located at 100 North Walkup Avenue) will be  here to discuss the integrated wellness therapies they offer. Hopefully you can take a few moments from your shopping to relax and become familiar with all that is available at InSpire.
And, Leanne from Triskele Moon Studios will be here to liven up your Spring jewelry wardrobe with lots of exciting new designs. Can’t wait to see what she has to offer this Ladies Night!

We will be open for Easter Breakfast on Sunday! Check out the Menu button for full menu.

Please place Easter Orders. Since we will be open Sunday, feel free to pick them up then as well as Saturday.  We are making Springtime Macarons, Bunny Rolls, Hot Cross Buns, Carrot Cakes, Lemon Cake Rolls & Key Lime Pies.

This Week’s Dinner Menu
Enjoy Petit (Small) Plates Thursday-Saturday.
Thursday–Eggplant Lasagna with Salad & Bread
Friday–Fish & Chips or Grilled Cod on Bed of Fresh Sauteed Veggies
Saturday–Flatbreads & Cornish Pasties

Changing of the Art Wall
This is the last week to view Christopher Trent’s Artwork.  Thanks to all who came out to enjoy his photography and whimsical drawings.  It was fascinating to hear the comments and see how people responded to the art.  Thanks to those who purchased pieces.  I know some of you have been “on the fence” about purchasing–now’s the time! 

We will be changing the wall next week to Susan Sieber’s Art of Silk . Many of you know her work already so you know how exciting it will be to see what she brings for April.  “Meet the Artist” will be Saturday, April 6th, from 7-9. Come in for a first choice (and remember gifts for Mother’s Day and graduations).  Then join us again on Saturday, April 20, for a silk painting demonstration.

In the Neighborhood:
Stop in early at Crossroads for the best selection of Anderson’s Chocolates (Richmond, IL since 1919 & named “Best In The USA” by Consumer Digest and The L.A. Times! ). The Marshmallow Eggs are amazing!

Don’t miss out on Peter Yarrow at  Raue Center on Saturday, April 20th!  Tickets are on sale now.  Operation Respect shares what this amazing gentleman has been doing and the Media Center contains videos and downloads, so check it out.  It’s bound to be a great concert (And, Raue is so much more intimate, not to mention closer, than Ravinia!) so hope to see you–as always, store discounts to ticket holders & rumor has it, there may be an after party at LPM.

It’s time to order yours!  Brown or White –with or without raisins and/or caraway seeds!

Thanks to all who came out for Christopher Trent’s art opening on Saturday evening. So nice to meet all the “new ” folks. Chris’s work will be on display for the month of March.  And, there already is a “sold” sticker on the wall.

We got the good news about the Salvation Army Christmas fund-raising contest–WE WON!  Thanks to all of you who contributed, with a special shout out to Marlo, and thanks to Zoe, Ryne & Phil for donating their tips.  Thanks to all of you, we raised more money than many other locations that have much higher traffic than we do.  But the best part is that it all goes to charity.

St Patrick’s Day Dinner & Concert–We will be serving a Corned Beef & Cabbage Dinner on Saturday, March 16th.  And, this year, we’ll be corning our own brisket.  That way we can add extra garlic and spices so it’s sure to be really good.  The dinner will have beef, potatoes, carrots, & cabbage. Of couse there will be plenty of beer and Irish whiskey available.  The cost is $12 or $10 if you are attending the Athas concert at the Raue.  We are accepting reservations, so give us a call.  And, as to the concert, Áthas (pronounced ‘AH-hiss’)  lights the dance floor on fire with a combination of traditional and newly composed Irish dance tunes. Fierce fiddle, driving bodhran, and funky guitar riffs come together to lift listeners’ feet, drinks, and spirits. The show starts at 8pm and is $20. general admission. For tickets, click here.

Triskele Moon Enough of the snow and cold! Time to get our Green On and think of Spring! And Triskele Moon plans on doing just that very thing. It’s time for the Annual Celtic Jewelry Show at Le Petit Marche. Leanne will be here from 10-6 pm on Saturday, March 9 with a whole host of Celtic-inspired jewelry designs to get you ready for spring and summer. There will be new pieces making their debut so stop in to get yours before they vanish like Faery Gold…

Eighth Anniversary Celebration  Beginning on Tuesday, March 19th, we will have daily give-aways and other specials–come in every day to register for that day’s drawing. We will draw a name at the end of each day.  Of course, you don’t have to be present to win. Watch for more info to come.

Easter Treats It’s time to place orders for Easter goodies.  We will be making those adorable “Bunny Buns” you might have seen as well as some special Easter Macaron Bunnies!  In addition, some of the treats you may want to order are:  Carrot Cake, Lemon-Coconut Cake Roll, Key Lime Pie. Easter Egg Cut-Out Cookies, Coffee Cake, Greek Easter Bread.  Did I forget anything?  And, we be closed Easter Sunday so no Sunday breakfast on March 31st

The Ovens Are Busy!

Lots to bake these next few days!
MARDI GRAS–King’s Cakes, Pazckis (custard, strawberry cream & blueberry cream) & Beignets  for Saturday, Sunday and Mardi Gras–order yours now. And stop in for a bowl of  Zoë’s GUMBO just as she was taught at The New Orleans School of Cooking.  We’ll be serving it from 11am til close

ASH WEDNESDAY–Hot Cross Buns–slightly sweet, spiced buns filled with raisins for Ash Wednesday.

VALENTINE’S DAY– Heart Macarons for Valentines!  The Heart Macarons can be ordered in various sizes, too.  Also our own special heart sugar cookies!  And, since it’s Pasta Thursday, we’ll be serving HEART-SHAPED CHEESE RAVIOLI sauced with Lemon, Olive Oil & Shrimp.

Introducing Chili Mac for Thursday Dinner.

You’ll have all sorts of options–vegetarian or not, add-ins like onions, shredded cheese and sour cream, or just plain chili or mac & cheese!  The rest of the weekly menu is the same.

This Month’s Art is provided by Janet Balboa and her students, Cameron Wise, Olivia Nippe Jeakins, Brandon Howell, Ben Balboa and Zoë Marshall.  Meet the artists Saturday, March 9th, from 7-8pm.  Rumor has it there will be treats!  And, wine by the glass will be $4.00.

Downtown’s Have a Heart Food Drive starts this  Saturday, Feb. 9th. Last year, 30 downtown businesses participated in our “Have a Heart Food Drive” in February.  Together, we collected over 3,500 pounds of non-perishable food and personal items for the Crystal Lake Food Pantry.  Wow!  Remember, hunger is  an issue every minute of every hour of every day.  People in the community need our help. So the challenge is on! Can we collect more this year? All participating shops, including LPM,  have a poster in the window to indentify drop-off spots.  Come on in & fill up our basket!

And, one more thing!  SAVE THE DATE-FEB. 16 for Leanne Emery’s (aka Triskele Moon Studios) dinner featuring her Great Grandmother’s  version of down home Southern Style cooking of Greens & Beans with Corn Bread.   Leanne wrote “It’s a wonderful, Southern Comfort food and something I will always be proud to make, no matter how far away I am from my heart-home”.  You can have this fantastic dinner on February 16th, starting at 5pm.

Introducing SATURDAY BREAKFAST starting this Saturday, 2/2.  Here’s the menu:

SPECIALS:  Irish Oatmeal with Mix-ins.  Choose from fruits & nuts, honey, maple syrup or brown sugar comes with side for $6

Individual Frittata: This “open-face omelette” comes with add-ins too.  Choose from the daily selection of veggies, meats, & pasta.  Comes with side for $10.oo

Sweets & Starters: Cinnamon Roll $2.25, Beignets with Chocolate Sauce $4,  Chocolate Brioche $2.25

SIDES          

Dawn’s Bread & Homemade Jam $2

2 Biscuits  $2

3 slices Bacon $2

Big Fork Maple or Andouille Sausage $2.

2 Eggs, Scrambled or Fried, $2

Mixed Veggies $2

Fruit Bowl $2

Following come with choice of side:

Biscuits & Andouille Sausage Gravy $10

Greta’s Buttermilk Pancakes w/Chocolate Chips (or plain), Maple Syrup & Cream $8

Mary’s Toast-Whole Wheat Toast, Avocado, Sauteed Veggies Topped w/Fried Egg $8

Quiche of the Day- $8