RECIPES & MEMORIES OF THE OLD LUMBERYARD RESTAURANT (PART 7) Mineral Point, WI

 RECIPES & MEMORIES

OF

THE OLD LUMBERYARD RESTAURANT

PART 7

  Stories about the Produce Stand and the Old Lumberyard Restaurant

Once we realized that the Flea Market was so well attended - we thought we would set up a produce stand in the parking lot.  We found a supplier and loaded up our truck every Friday night and had so many wonderful people visit and purchase their produce from us every weekend.  As the Holidays approached (winter) - the same supplier provided us with beautiful fresh trees and wreaths.  So, we set up an old-fashioned tree lot and sold quite a few trees and wreaths.  Mort posted a sign that said - "Blow Horn for Service" - funny choice of words - but we'd hear a horn blowing and we'd run out from our house/lumber shed.  For folks that didn't have a large enough vehicle - 

we would also deliver their chosen tree and/or wreath.

During the warmer months, we had so many great fresh fruits and vegetables.  A gentleman named Larry stopped by all of the time and asked if he could sell some of his homemade candies.  Anyway, he ended up being the main attendant at the produce stand.  He loved the interaction, and the customers loved him.  So, Mort could be in the Flea Market on a full-time (weekend) basis. And Laura would run back and forth filling bins and baskets until we would run out of all fruits and vegetables

 at closing on Sunday night.  

The next idea (probably Laura) was, why don't we build a hot dog stand in the parking lot because we already have a lot of people coming out every weekend.  So, Mort being the sweetheart that he is checked out the possibility of building a small building for a hot dog stand.  (We were beginners - I don't think that Food Trucks were that popular in the Midwest at that time - and Mort is a builder, so everything is about wood...).  By the time we would meet all of the State Restaurant Requirements, it was not worth trying to build a stand.  So, he built the restaurant.....

It was so fun putting together the restaurant project.  Mort and crew were building, and Laura was collecting equipment for restaurant.  We went to a lot of auctions and great deals were easy to find.  It was always kind of a happy/sad experience because you were getting a good deal but, it was because someone else's restaurant had failed/closed. 

As luck would have it, Mort & I were in Evanston, IL one day.  We stopped at the restaurant where Mort would eat very often when he would work in the City.  We told the family/owners that we were going to open a restaurant in Mineral Point, WI.  Boy, did they have a deal for us.  They owned the storefront - next door to their restaurant also - and guess what - it was full of restaurant equipment.  They just wanted to get rid of it.  Turns out dad worked for a school and the school was changing it's  cafeteria program.  The dad was told he could take anything he wanted, in kitchen equipment.  The family was looking to empty this storefront full of commercial kitchen equipment because their son was going to open an insurance office in that space. The luck of the Crowley's.....

We rented a truck and loaded it up with as much as we could fit in a large rental truck and headed home to Mineral Point. 

We have always been collectors, (flea market) so we had a lot of 'stuff' that we then used in the restaurant.  Mismatched silverware, a lot of plates and bowls and coffee cups - some that matched, some that did not.  We loved it - just like most homes....

Fast Forward - the restaurant is now open for business.

We had to close early the first day, because we ran out of food - quick evening trip to Madison to purchase the things we needed to open the next day and the next.....

Laura was running around on cloud 9 - this was so fun and everyone else seemed to be enjoying this new group of businesses - a Flea market, a Produce stand and now a Restaurant.

There are so many fun stories about the restaurant for Part 8...stay tuned. 

 

TODAYS RECIPES WILL BE WHAT WE (Laura) EVENTUALLY LEARNED WAS A

GOOD THING - DAILY SPECIALS.

Laura is pretty spontaneous - creative and flies by the seat of her drawers.  Mort is not much better - so together they always did what just felt right - and that always seemed to end up working well for us. 

BUT, as Mort reminded me - that as a construction guy, he ate out for lunch everyday (in whatever city or area they were working).  And he loved the specials - could count on turkey and mashed potatoes on such & such day, etc.

SO, Laura set up daily specials - and he was right.  We would always see the same customers on the day that 'their' special meal - of our specials would be served.  We also had a very full menu - but I found that the same Daily Specials each week worked well - 

Monday - Fried Chicken, scalloped potatoes, a buttery herbed biscuit, fresh green beans with bacon and a choice of a dessert.

Tuesday - Meat Loaf, baked potato - sour cream, butter and chives, buttered peas & carrots and a choice of a dessert.

Wednesday - Roast Turkey with mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and blend of roasted seasonal fresh vegetables.

Thursday - was of course Italian Day (had always been throughout my life) so, Lasagna, both cheese and meat and cheese, a hot veggie side of mushrooms, peppers and zucchini and a cold side of a fresh salad with olives and lots of Romano cheese and tomatoes and of course a piece of warm garlic bread.  

Friday - Fish Fry Day - we made several kinds of fish - Pan fried Blue Gills, Honey Walleye, and Deep-Fried Cod/Pollock.  A big pile of hand cut fries and a choice of a vinegar coleslaw or a creamy coleslaw.  Homemade tartar sauce and a buttery herb roll.  

Mort would come in and help out in the kitchen on Friday nights after a day of construction and a shower - he'd make an appearance.  He didn't come in the back door - he loved that all of the customers would clap when they would see him come in the front door.  He'd take it all in and then he had to walk into the kitchen and try and move it up to the 90-mph speed of Laura and Erin.  So, there were some collisions and words occasionally.  But generally, we made it work with this extra person back in the kitchen.  

We made homemade pizza also.  We made our own fresh batch of dough every day and served many pizzas - with every kind of topping you could think of....

Customers/friends would (at the very end of a long day) pull up a stool and a glass of wine and keep me company in the kitchen - after the customers and staff were mostly gone.  It was always such a sweet exhaustion. During the day, the staff would make Laura take a power nap on top of one of the chest freezers in the back because they knew she probably only slept a few hours each night.  Hard, wonderful nap.....a bomb could have gone off & I would not have been disturbed.  One day, I went into the house for something and before I knew it I was waking up with coins stuck to my face.  I had sat down at a table and poured out a bunch of change and just fell dead asleep on it.  I woke up wondering what day, what year, where was I kind of feeling and then ran out to the restaurant.  The staff thought it was so funny that I had the imprints of quarters, etc. on my cheeks.

When I would work in the kitchen late at night, I would blast music.  The police did stop by once to make sure all was well and then they just kind of got used to it. 

 Mineral Point is the best place is so many ways.  

STAY TUNED FOR SOME GREAT STORIES ABOUT 

THE OLD LUMBERYARD RESTAURANT IN

PART 8