FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) — As the weather gets cold and dreary, what’s better than a warm, freshly-baked baguette? At Banqet Patisserie, what looks like a simple loaf of bread has a century worth of baking history.
Owner Corina Calise learned from the best. Her roots run back to the Netherlands, where Calise’s family owned bakeries for generations. You can still see a photograph from the 1920’s framed at the front of Banqet Patisserie.
“We are a big bunch of bakers, all the way back to my great, great grandfather,” Calise said. “We all grew up baking and cooking, so it was just natural.”
One day, while working as a caretaker, Calise started making bread. That evolved into selling at farmer’s markets in 2013 and, eventually, her own brick-and-mortar business. Two and a half years later, Calise continues receiving praise for her baked goods.
“It’s kind of emotional,” Calise said. “My grandfather could bake anything, it was amazing. We had the best of the best. I’m always questioning myself, “Is this as good as they could do?’”
A frequent customer, Madalann Castell, says Banqet is the best. She visits the patisserie 3 to 4 times a week, and her order doesn’t change.
“I love it,” Castell said. “I always say that Corina’s almond croissants and breakfast cookies help me lose weight!”
Quality ingredients and old school technique require dedication. For Calise, that means no snoozing the alarm. Luckily, waking up is the part she looks forward to most of all.
“I know this sounds weird, but I love being here early, early in the morning,” Calise said. “I love that peace where I can just drink my cup of coffee, I can get my day going. I’m not bombarded with phones or even busy traffic. It just gives me a good start to my day. I really enjoy that.”
The owner’s energy is contagious and it’s clear soon after stepping inside Banqet Patisserie that her employees are just as enthusiastic about what they do.
“She’s like a fun aunt, she just cares about her employees so much and she’s such a kind person,” barista Alia McGee said. “It’s fun to work with someone that’s so involved with the community and so involved with her customers and cares about them so much. I’ve loved working for her.”
McGee is currently finishing out her degree at the University of North Alabama. She’s responsible for Banqet’s budding social media community, which has amassed over six thousand followers combined across Facebook and Instagram.
“Social media has probably been the best choice we’ve made for business,” McGee said. “Everybody’s so online and it’s been so fun seeing the activity we get with customers.”
Banqet’s food speaks for itself. After asking around, croissants seem to have the biggest cult following, but the patisserie offers everything from eclairs to breakfast casserole and specialty coffee.
“I seriously have never had someone be like, ‘I don’t like this.’ Every time it’s like, ‘This is the best thing I’ve ever had,’” McGee said.
“She pours that into her pastries, her sweet personality,” Castell added. “It just puts a little pep in your step to start the day out and I love that.”
To connect with Banqet Patisserie on social media and see their menu offerings, click here.
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