Cornichons

Aug. 16, 2009

Two Cornichons in One: European Dining in Harbor Springs
By Kristi Kates 8/17/09

Diana and Ed Throckmorton had already conquered the antiques market in Harbor Springs with their L’Esprit Antiques, for which they’d spend many purchasing trips abroad. But whenever they returned to Northern Michigan, they found themselves missing the food experiences that they’d had in France - in their own words, “the perfect baguette, great patè, artisan cheese and such.”
The solution? Open their own European market and cafe, of course. It didn’t matter that the Throckmortons, in their own words, are more “lookers” than chefs - their antiquing experience combined with their willingness to try new things served them perfectly when putting together their new venture.

FROM ANTIQUES TO FOOD
“I don’t know that I ever ‘learned’ my craft,” Diana Throckmorton says in reference to her cooking experience. “But my husband can tell you that when we go to Europe, the first thing I do is find where and when the weekly markets are in every little town. I love to go and look - and I buy way more than we can eat - the fresh fish just out of the sea, meats, vegetables, cheeses, olives - I want to be a ‘looker’ for a living,” she laughs. “I am not a great cook by any means; most of my friends are way more creative than I am. But I do like to offer to our customers the enjoyment and the simplicity of food, and the food artisans who live for what they create.”
With the original Cornichons European Market and Cafe - which opened next to the Harbor Springs Post Office in the downtown area in 2002 - the Throckmortons’ aim was to “offer the very finest in artisinal foods to our Northern Michigan community.”
First things first - the Throckmortons chose to bring in baguettes from Greg and his team at Crooked Tree Breadworks (“which even our French customers say rival those from France,” Throckmorton says.) Then, they consulted with the famed Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, and were “further inspired,” as Throckmorton puts it, by their fellow artisans and retailers, from the aforementioned Breadworks to American Spoon Foods.
“We wanted to offer this artisinal foods philosophy to our community of offering the best quality ingredients and not compromising quality because of such elements as cost or time. This is an important goal; it’s like feeding our families or friends - if it’s not just right, it isn’t good enough.”

EUROPEAN MENU
There’s plenty that’s “just right” at Cornichons, from their #1 perfectly-simple sandwich - the Parisienne, which features ham, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, and butter on a baguette - to more complex offerings.
Some of the most flavorful, interesting gourmet sandwiches include the Big Bertha, with London Broil roast beef, Applewood smoked bacon, mixed greens, and chipotle bleu cheese dressing on a Zingerman’s onion roll; the Oh! Henri, with proscuitto, fresh mozzarella, basil pesto, tomato, and balsalmic vinaigrette on a baguette; the Tuscan, with ham, salami, provolone, parmesan cheese, tomato bruschetta, and vinaigrette on ciabatta bread; or their signature sandwich, the Cornichons, which features country pate, Dijon mustard, and cornichons (tiny pickles).
Cornichons also offers a range of fresh salads, from their Caesar and their Tuna Nicoise to their Big Fat Greek Salad, plus plenty of imported and domestic sodas, waters, and juices to go with your meal.
And if that still isn’t enough for you - no problem. The Throckmortons just opened Cornichons Two in June. The new cafe is a mere one block away from the original Cornichons (both restaurants are on State Street in the downtown area), where they’ve added, of course, more seating space, as well as breakfast and occasional grill specials.

GOURMET TIMES TWO
“Cornichons Two is mostly a folly,” Throckmorton laughs. “We were trying to take the pressure off of the lines at the original Cornichons during the summer. It also made sense to gain a large kitchen, and since it is right down the block, we felt we could cook once for both locations.”
That’s not to say that both cafes are exactly the same, although the quality, the European theme, and of course the Throckmorton’s food philosophies all carry over.
“Cornichons Two offers an eclectic breakfast menu featuring local produce and meats, as well as U.S. and European cheeses,” Throckmorton explains, “the sandwich and salad menu are basically the same with some new items this year, and we will hopefully be offering a few limited grilled items such as a wild mushroom burger, a grilled cheese, and an awesome black bean and guacamole burger.”
While the emphasis at Cornichons for many years has been on the European aspect, the Throckmortons are now seeking out local artisan foods as well.
“Thank goodness the local movement has gained so much momentum,” Throckmorton enthuses, “Michigan and other parts of the U.S. now rival Europe in food and wine; we locals and resorters alike must support our Michigan growers.”
The Throckmortons have yet to determine if Cornichons Two will be a year-round dining destination, or just continue as a “summer folly” to supplement the original Cornichons European Market and Cafe. “Already, autumn and a trip somewhere is looking pretty good,” says the hard-working Throckmorton.
But the Throckmortons emphasize that they enjoy having their cafe be “an integral part of the Harbor Springs community.”
“Our earnest hope is that this is a place where members of our community can enjoy good food, try new items, see friends, and have a good time,” Throckmorton says, “most customers are old friends - but we especially like meeting new customers, and we always try to make them feel special.”

Cornichons European Market and Cafe is located at 248 State Street in Harbor Springs; Cornichons Two is located one block towards the water, also on State Street; telephone 231-242-0020.