‘Creative Cuizine’

Brings New Take-Out Options To Newtown

By Jan Howard

From “soup to nuts” is Mary Ellen Wallin’s description of what Creative Cuizine, her new catering company with take out options, has to offer.

Creative Cuizine is open from Monday to Friday from 9 am to 6 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm. It offers lunch, catering, and gourmet dinners to go.

“We offer it all,” Ms Wallin said this week. Each day there are hot specials and soups.

“We do a lot of vegetarian,” she said, because customers want that.

Denise Shaker, who works full-time at Creative Cuizine, said fresh herbs are used and no preservatives. “Everything is made fresh every day,” she said.

 The shop opened August 1 in the historic former train station at 57 Church Hill Road, situated within in the building where the video store The Magic Machine of Newtown was previously located. The interior walls contain a train motif, featuring photographs of trains and train stations.

Ms Wallin has been involved with the food industry for 17 years, first working as a waitress and bartender in local restaurants and then through the operation of a catering service for the last six years.

Two years ago she gave her business its new name, Creative Cuizine, and this year decided to enlarge her business into a storefront. In addition, she has purchased a home in Newtown and will be moving in two weeks.

“It’s been a little hectic,” Ms Wallin said. “Opening a business, packing up for the move, and doing catering.”

Ms Wallin did not attend a cooking school but learned from local teachers and family members.

“My aunt owned a French restaurant on Long Island, and I cooked with her all the time,” she said. “That’s where I got my desire to cook.”

Ms Wallin helped with the preparation of holiday family dinners from the time she was a child, when she and other children in the family would sit on the floor and rip up bread and mix stuffing in large black garbage bags, she said. Holiday meals for at least 30 people were the norm, and it was not unusual for there to be 25 pounds of stuffing prepared, she noted.

“Thanksgiving and Christmas were big holiday meals in our house,” Ms Wallin said. “We had elaborate holidays. It was fun.”

Creative Cuizine offers lunch and dinner selections, plus full catering services. Lunch choices include various homemade soups and sandwiches with choice of bread; fresh green, potato, and pasta salads; salad plates; beverages; and muffins, brownies, chips and other snack items. The train theme is carried over into special sandwiches, aptly named The Trolley, The Caboose, and The B&O.

Every week something is offered free when customers buy a sandwich and beverage. This changes every week, and may include chips or a dessert, for instance.

“People now come in and ask what’s free,” Ms Wallin said. “It started as a grand opening thing, and it was so popular we kept it.”

Dinner choices change daily and may include such selections as eggplant parmagiana, garlic thyme chicken, beef tips, ham and Swiss quiche, Yankee pot roast, or chicken cordon bleu. All dinners are sold by the pound or as a meal, priced from $6.95 to $10.95. Different sides are offered every day, such as potatoes, vegetables, or rice.

Catering choices include a wide variety of appetizers, entrees, and salads. She also does platters of food to go.

The company also sells vinegar, barbecue sauces, olive oil, candy, and other items.

“We take special requests for dinners,” Ms Wallin said.

The company’s focus is on dinners and catering, and its prices are very competitive, she said. Size of a party is not a problem, she said. For catering, there is a staff of ten to help out, she said. All the cooking is done at Creative Cuizine, and another person does the hors d’oeuvres. She recently did a lobster clambake for 30 and a dinner party for 12. She also will cater weddings, christenings, family reunions, and funerals.

For children’s parties she offers a list of choices. “We coordinate, do the food and entertainment, and provide the cake as well as a petting zoo. Whatever someone wants,” Ms Wallin said.

Ms Wallin said she is also called upon to cater funerals. “I like to help someone when they’re down and need help.”

Creative Cuizine can be reached at 364-1462.