This Lazy Susan was made for Michael. I feel amazingly blessed to live here in McMinnville and one reason is the amazing food available to us here. Michael is the front of the house manager of the Crescent Cafe. He has this amazing ability to describe food in such a way that it always sounds delicious. I've never really checked out the majority of the regular menu, because once Michael is done describing the day's specials, that is what I am going to eat. And with Danny in charge of the kitchen, the food always backs up Michael's descriptions. A while back I was making a few of these lazy susans from old wine barrels. The oak in the barrels is so beautiful. They are cut from trees that are typically over one hundred years old. Many of the oak trees were planted to make wine barrels! Wine makers can pay over $1,000 for a new barrel. They give significant flavor to the wine the first year they are used, quite a bit less the second, and after the third very little. So, wineries pretty much give them away when they are done with them. You can purchase them for around $75 or so. The only problem was that when Michael requested one of these Lazy Susans, I was out of wine barrels. I'm going to be making some new lights for the shop at Wednesday Wines, so we went out and purchased additional barrels. This one came from Amity Vineyards. The white snaking pattern in the wood is described by the way it is cut from the rough lumber, or quarter-sawn. This particular barrel top has just beautiful markings, and I knew it had to be for Michael. If you are ever in McMinnville and looking for a place to have breakfast or lunch do yourself a favor and stop into the Crescent Cafe and treat yourself the an amazing meal. Just a few warnings though. Michael runs a tight ship. If they state that they are going to stop seating people at 1:30 and you walk in at 1:35 you're not getting a seat. What a lot of folks don't realize is that some of the cook staff have been working since three in the morning, and they'll be working another couple of hours after the last patron leaves the restaurant. Also, if you like to sit and talk for long periods of time after your meal is finished this is not the place for you. Michael will indicate to you (in the nicest possible way) that it is time for you to wrap up your meal and give some other folks a chance to sit and enjoy their food. This has never happened to me, but I've heard from some of the older women that they have been asked to wrap it up (and one in particular was quite upset about it, but knowing her and her ability to talk for long periods of time I'm kind of with Michael on this one.) Michael and Danny have been an amazing blessing to this community. They both have a lot of experience in the restaurant industry, they purchase as many local products as they possibly can, and their food and service are just amazing. How we were lucky enough to have them move to McMinnville I'm not sure. They were one of the reasons a reporter for the Oregonian dubbed Third Street the "culinary miracle." It is such a blessing to be able to just walk a block from our house, sit down to one of their tables and be treated to such a wonderful feast. We are truly and wonderfully blessed.
For Michael
This Lazy Susan was made for Michael. I feel amazingly blessed to live here in McMinnville and one reason is the amazing food available to us here. Michael is the front of the house manager of the Crescent Cafe. He has this amazing ability to describe food in such a way that it always sounds delicious. I've never really checked out the majority of the regular menu, because once Michael is done describing the day's specials, that is what I am going to eat. And with Danny in charge of the kitchen, the food always backs up Michael's descriptions. A while back I was making a few of these lazy susans from old wine barrels. The oak in the barrels is so beautiful. They are cut from trees that are typically over one hundred years old. Many of the oak trees were planted to make wine barrels! Wine makers can pay over $1,000 for a new barrel. They give significant flavor to the wine the first year they are used, quite a bit less the second, and after the third very little. So, wineries pretty much give them away when they are done with them. You can purchase them for around $75 or so. The only problem was that when Michael requested one of these Lazy Susans, I was out of wine barrels. I'm going to be making some new lights for the shop at Wednesday Wines, so we went out and purchased additional barrels. This one came from Amity Vineyards. The white snaking pattern in the wood is described by the way it is cut from the rough lumber, or quarter-sawn. This particular barrel top has just beautiful markings, and I knew it had to be for Michael. If you are ever in McMinnville and looking for a place to have breakfast or lunch do yourself a favor and stop into the Crescent Cafe and treat yourself the an amazing meal. Just a few warnings though. Michael runs a tight ship. If they state that they are going to stop seating people at 1:30 and you walk in at 1:35 you're not getting a seat. What a lot of folks don't realize is that some of the cook staff have been working since three in the morning, and they'll be working another couple of hours after the last patron leaves the restaurant. Also, if you like to sit and talk for long periods of time after your meal is finished this is not the place for you. Michael will indicate to you (in the nicest possible way) that it is time for you to wrap up your meal and give some other folks a chance to sit and enjoy their food. This has never happened to me, but I've heard from some of the older women that they have been asked to wrap it up (and one in particular was quite upset about it, but knowing her and her ability to talk for long periods of time I'm kind of with Michael on this one.) Michael and Danny have been an amazing blessing to this community. They both have a lot of experience in the restaurant industry, they purchase as many local products as they possibly can, and their food and service are just amazing. How we were lucky enough to have them move to McMinnville I'm not sure. They were one of the reasons a reporter for the Oregonian dubbed Third Street the "culinary miracle." It is such a blessing to be able to just walk a block from our house, sit down to one of their tables and be treated to such a wonderful feast. We are truly and wonderfully blessed.