The two days we look forward to most all year are just around the corner: Customer Appreciation Days! These parties are so much fun we have to do it twice, once at the Merchandise Mart and once at Lincoln Square so mark your calendars now for:
We've been throwing a Customer Appreciation Day party since we opened our doors 21 years ago. And even all these years later, they still have the same elements of free cooking classes, tastings of our favorite foods and 20% off everything in the store. Here's what you can expect this year.
Our party at the Mart is all about entertaining! Our chefs will teach you how to make hors d'oeuvres you can easily re-create at home such as Bacon-Wrapped Dates with Balsamic Glaze, Cranberry Pepper Jelly-Glazed Meatballs and Mini Mascarpone Tarts with Boozy Cherries while you sample holiday-friendly wines from four different wine distributors. Our bar will be open if you'd like to sip on a glass of wine as you shop and enjoy free cooking demonstrations all day.
Mini Mascarpone Tarts with Boozy Cherries
Here's the chef demonstration schedule:
10:30am - 11:30am Nut-Crusted Baked Brie with Seasonal Preserves and Deviled Eggs
12pm - 1pm Whole Roasted Turkey and Gravy with Pancetta-Chestnut Stuffing and Cornbread-Oyster Stuffing
1:30pm - 2:30pm Buttery Dinner Rolls and Cornbread with Jalapeño Gold
3pm - 4pm Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes, Corn-Bacon Pudding and Sautéed Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots
4:30pm - 5:30pm The Chopping Block's Famous Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie
Journeyman Distillery will be pouring their popular O.C.G. (Old Country Goodness), an apple cider liqueur made from un-aged rye whiskey, Michigan apple juice, Michigan apple cider and a blend of secret spices. It was a HUGE hit at Apple Fest this year!
We'll have fresh ideas for your favorite host or hostess for the holiday season, and you'll save 20% off on those products as well as everything in the store. We'll also raffle off a 3.5 quart Indigo Le Creuset French oven to one lucky winner!
The focus turns to turkey for our fete at Lincoln Square. Just like at the Mart, you'll enjoy free chef demonstrations, tastings of our favorite specialty foods and samples of our Thanksgiving-friendly wines. In addition, you'll learn how to prepare turkey three ways: roasted, smoked and as a roulade. Our chefs will also show off their favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. So stop by for expert tips, tricks, advice - and tastings!
Here's the chef demonstration schedule:
10:30am - 12:00pm Turkey Roulade and Herb Roasted Turkey with Butternut Squash Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
1pm - 2:30pm Turkey Roulade and Smoked Turkey with Cornbread Stuffing, Potato Gratin, and Maple Brussels Sprouts
3:30pm - 5pm The Chopping Block's Famous Apple Pie, Cornbread with Jalapeño Gold and Buttery Dinner Rolls
We'll also raffle off more Le Creuset enameled cast iron to one lucky winner!
No registration is necessary for either event, so we hope to see you at both!
If you want to start planning for Thanksgiving even earlier, download our free Thanksgiving Survival Guide that includes recipes that we've been teaching for 21 years, a Let's Talk Turkey section that covers turkey size and varieties, as well as how to defrost and cook the bird and a comprehensive shopping list as well as how to get help with your holiday pies.