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Gisele was Coleen's mother. She was born in Casablanca, French Morocco on April 21, 1925. Her given name was Suzanne but friends and family called her Gisele. Her father was the harbormaster for the Port of Casablanca. He played an important role in the politics of the port during wartime Casablanca in the 1940's. Her mother was a homemaker, master baker and cook. Gisele started baking as a small child and became a master pastry chef and cook in her own right. Her beauty was such as a child, that a Sheik offered to purchase her from her father for a sum certain in gold. Her father did not sell his daughters! She met Alfred Cook, an American GI, after the allied invasion of Africa. She married and moved to the United States in 1945. She became an American Citizen. Gisele raised three children, Gary, Dennis and Coleen, and continued to cook and bake for her family. She made breads and pastries, but the montecaos (the family recipe of which has been passed down throughout several generations over 125 years) remained the favorite of everyone. She lovingly taught Coleen the art of baking. By the time Coleen was in her teens, she could decorate cakes like a professional. Gisele started creating recipes of her own and supplied restaurants in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area with cheesecakes. She won acclaim and awards for her luscious chocolate cheesecake. She also created her own cappuccino recipe. In the mid-1990's her son, Dennis opened a Deli/Bakery in Grand Rapids where Gisele created her delicious pastries, cheesecakes and cappuccino. Sadly, in 1996 Gisele contracted Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS). She passed away in October, 1998, but not before passing on her recipe's to Coleen.
It was always Gisele and Coleen's dream to have a French bakery, and to be here in Jerome is the perfect place to have that dream realized. We named our bakery in honor of Gisele. We lovingly prepare her recipes for cappuccino, montecaos, cheesecakes and pastries for your enjoyment. Coleen has created recipes of her own, thanks to the nurturing and guiding hand of Gisele throughout the years.
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