On this day, I learned that Marie Callender's was more than just a grocery store frozen food line. It was actually first a chain of restaurants out west.
"In the 1940s, Marie started selling the pies she made in her home kitchen to local restaurants in Orange, California. Her son, Don, delivered her signature creations on his bicycle. In 1948, Marie sold the family car, giving her the means to turn her at-home bakery into a bona fide business. She baked more than 100 pies with wholesome ingredients every day. In 1964, Marie’s family opened their first pie and coffee shop. Her loyal customers savored the comforting, homemade touches in each and every serving. Her shop expanded into a chain - and into the meals and desserts found in grocery stores today," reads the website.
The restaurant had a very all Americana feel, with a huge display case of pies and a menu with comfort food classics.
Those include:
Braised and Slow-Roasted Pot Roast - Tender chunks of chuck roast slow-simmered for full flavor and tenderness, topped with a cabernet beef reduction. Served with fresh mashed potatoes and fresh seasonal vegetables.
Marie's Meatloaf - Slow-baked with Angus ground beef, onions, green peppers, carrots and special seasonings. Topped with mushroom cabernet gravy.
Heartland Chicken Pot Pie - Loaded with tender chunks of chicken with seasonings and vegetables, and topped with our famous hand-pressed flaky crust.
I went with Home-Style Beef Stroganoff - Tender beef sautéed with fresh mushrooms in a demi-glace red wine beef sauce, with caramelized onions and a hint of Grey Poupon® Dijon. Served over fettuccine noodles with a dollop of sour cream.
It was hot and rich and comforting. Pasta is always a personal favorite, though I rarely go for the deep brown gravy. Sometimes I think that flavor is too concentrated, but not here. I do still think there was too much sauce on this dish, but the sour cream rounded it out a bit.
I added a slice of lemon cream cheese pie. It's like a lemon curd pie and cheesecake had a baby in a graham cracker crust. Very tasty.
Grade: B
