PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM 69 made its way to South America. Marianne’s version is rooted in Argentina but her fillings reflect her life’s journey and those she is closest to. “Each filling is either a person, place or memory I have,” she shares. The dough for these tasty half-moons is made with either butter or rendered beef fat and is light and tender while still being sturdy enough to hold savory and sweet fillings. El Sur’s savory Traditional is filled with hand-cut beef, onion, oregano, pimentón, olives and egg, and it represents Marianne’s Argentinian roots. The Pollo Saltado with chicken, onion, serrano peppers, olives and egg is inspired by her mom’s Peruvian heritage. The Parisien is filled with French ham, prosciutto, green onion, cheese and chives, paying homage to the jambonbeurre sandwich that is found all over Paris. El Sur also offers empanadas with vegetarian flavor filled elsursf.com fillings and the sweet Manzana, stuffed with braised apples. Empanadas are ubiquitous in South America, Rodrigo explains. “There’s an empanada shop on every street corner in Buenos Aires and people have them delivered to their homes like we order pizza.” Feeding families with busy households is a priority for Marianne. “Being a kid in the ‘80s in Menlo Park was magical,” she says, recalling fond memories of playing in San Francisquito Creek, getting soft serve at Fosters Freeze and enjoying deli sandwiches at Luttiken’s on the Alameda. Her kids, now grown, frequent the cafe and help out when they can. Her parents still live in Menlo Park and visit almost daily. They marvel at how the old grocery store has changed and love to chat with the customers. “I have such a deep respect for my parents, for their grit and determination to make a life for all of us here,” Marianne says fondly. “I owe everything to them.”
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