The stress and strain of getting a healthy meal on the table is an all too familiar feeling for many families. But when the holidays roll around, this tension can feel amplified. Preparing for guests, cleaning the house, grocery shopping and cooking–it all piles up, and sometimes even negates the joy of the holiday experience itself. If you find yourself in this boat, overwhelmed with too many to-dos, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
When Elke’s Market Café’s owners Gregory and Kim Casale say, “Let our family feed your family,” they mean it. Determined to take the stress of cooking out of the holidays, their deliciously crafted Thanksgiving catering menu meets the needs of many frazzled families. “Many people will still cook their one or two favorite family recipes, but allow us to do the heavy lifting,” explains Kim.
Elke’s specializes in corporate catering, as well as running a full market café serving soups, salads, and sandwiches (in addition to offering a Wine Club). It was founded in 2004 by Elke Kuby Marsh, who retired in 2020 to enjoy more time with her family. The Casales were subsequently chosen to carry on her recipes and traditions, which revolve around community and connection.
It’s easy to see why. Gregory hails from a prestigious background which includes being a former corporate chef and owner of a fine dining restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona. He and his wife, Kim, who have been married for 30 years, are also business partners. Kim is a certified wine educator and handles the day-to-day running of the café with a passion for customer service.
At any given lunch hour from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., you can see the café brimming with the familiar faces of returning customers, as well as new foodie-adventure seekers. Whether it’s a specialty sandwich like Elke’s Nutty Creation (pecan cheddar spread, bacon, candied jalapeños, peach preserves, and lettuce on toasted molasses wheat bread), coupled with a steaming hot house soup (carrot bisque, anyone?), the vibes of the café convey the warm and fuzzies and say Welcome Home. Grab and go options are also available for those on the run.
While the holidays are often reserved for family celebrations, many families miss the opportunity to enjoy the festivities because of constraints on time. And a lot of that time is spent in the kitchen, slaving over dishes that take just too many hours to perfect.
The ease and simplicity of catering options draw many folks to Elke’s during the holiday season. “We make oven-ready meals that are made in-house, almost always from scratch, ready to deliver to you. All you have to do is follow our cooking instructions and stick them in the oven. It’s as easy as purchasing the meat, already flavored with herbs and cheeses, that’s centered in the middle of a pan with beautiful, colorful vegetables all around it, ready to go for you,” Kim explains.
For Thanksgiving, these catered meals can be as traditional or nontraditional as you’d like. How about a juicy turkey made from scratch, with mashed potatoes and green bean casserole as your sides, and banana pudding or pumpkin pie for dessert? Or maybe you fancy trimmed beef tenderloins with Elke’s special dry rub and praline sweet potatoes. After all, you are a Texan, right?
“Our jalapeno corn bread dressing and mashed potatoes continue to be some of our most popular offerings,” says Kim. Her personal favorite during the holidays is the porchetta pork loins. While it’s also one of Chef Gregory’s favorite entrées to make, his best-loved dish remains the German potato salad. “It’s without mayo, and it’s warm, and just an altogether different signature item.”
Perhaps this is the holiday you finally get to concentrate on making Grandma’s special stuffing recipe, because you know the star of the show (aka Elke’s porchetta-style pork loin, which is butterflied, stuffed with herbs, rolled, and tied) is due to arrive soon. Most importantly, being able to kick off your shoes and take a nap before the guests start pouring in could be the most important memory-maker of the holidays.
When asked what they are most thankful for this season, family and community support for their café top the list for Gregory and Kim. As a family and locally owned legacy business, they also understand that the comfort of a warm, home-cooked meal is one of the many blessings in life. For today’s busy moms and dads, it can even be a luxury.
If you’re ready to stuff that Texas Pecan Brownie or the Rise and Shine Breakfast Sandwich into your mouth, be sure to visit Elke’s at 105 N Greenville Ave. #11, Allen, TX, 75002, 214-495-0200, elkesmarketcafe.com (and place your catering orders early, so they will be in time for Thanksgiving!).
Let our family feed your family.