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Mel's New Bakery

melmck

By melmck
in Pastry & Baking

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melmck

melmck

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FUNNY QUINCE STORY!!

I've been working out front the last 2 days, due to Lucy having a stupid eye infection. It's fun, because I get direct feedback from customers and hear all the raves in person. I have quince on the counter for fragrance factor, and this dude comes in- looks pretty hip, and says, eewww are those quince?so I says yeah, and what do you mean eeewwww?? what the hell is your problem? kidding, but said why eeww? he said, I have 3 trees worth rotting all over my yard and I don't know what to do with them. I said, bring them to me and I'll make cool stuff with them.

anyway, I tell him about the marvels of quince, and he says, "well, it tastes like ASS!" no, it doesn't, you just don't know what to do with it. I said, stand still and I am going to change your mind-I'm going to get you some slices of poached quince. this guy is skeptical, but when he slipped the slices into his mouth, I swear his pupils got bigger.mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm that's awesome. "OK, woman, I believe you" and I said , it doesn't taste like ass, now does it? no...

(Inner monologue wants to say crude, rude, totally unacceptable comments at this point...such as, if this is what ass tastes like, we'd all be eating a lot more of it!)

as he left he said "I will spread the word about the marvels of quince!!

Melissa McKinney

Chef/Owner Criollo Bakery

mel@criollobakery.com

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M. Lucia

M. Lucia

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Could you elaborate on the quince beaumes de venise cake? I make a beaumes de venise cake from Gourmet that I really enjoy, perhaps it is similar.

I've been following your thread and I have to say you are doing an amazing job, and you have certainly changed my perspective on how hard my local bakery and coffe shop owners work. I am even more committed to patronizing independant retailers. Doing unusual ingredients like quince allows you to introduce people to new things and proves you are a unique business, which should keep the customers coming. Keep at it!

Desert Candy
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  • 2 weeks later...
tsquare

tsquare

Posted
Posted
weds7-7

thurs closed

fri , sat 7-7

come on over!

Beautiful pastry! Wonderous loaves of bread (I took home a hefty multigrain.) Left your card and some samples of breakfast treats with my hosts in Vancouver...great finish to the food filled weekend.

Sorry to have missed saying hello.

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melmck

melmck

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the latest news to share is that we have a ghost. it has been moving things around, and since I was last out/first in, it's pretty freaky. turning the water faucets on. I have seen/felt the glimpse of the shape of a man in my cake room. one woman who works here said she felt something touch the back of her neck, and I met the previous tenant and he told me all the same stuff before I even opened my mouth!!!

I said to the ghost, "look, I've seen 'The 6th Sense' and I know what to do! Talk to them. so I said to the ghost, go bug the people in the coffee shop, I have a lot of shit to do!!!"

Melissa McKinney

Chef/Owner Criollo Bakery

mel@criollobakery.com

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Patrick S

Patrick S

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Looks like you're gonna need a proton pack and some ghost traps.

But then, maybe you don't want to get rid of your visitor. Hopefully you can train him to do something useful, like wash dishes or fold pastries. That old turning-on-the-faucet trick is so played out.

"If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint,' then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced" - Vincent Van Gogh
 

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duckduck

duckduck

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Seems to be a theme going on here in Portland. Lisa from Mother's Bistro has had problems with a ghost at her new place Mama Mia's Trattoria too. :blink:

Pamela Wilkinson

www.portlandfood.org

Life is a rush into the unknown. You can duck down and hope nothing hits you, or you can stand tall, show it your teeth and say "Dish it up, Baby, and don't skimp on the jalapeños."

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bloviatrix

bloviatrix

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As long as the ghost doesn't eat all your stock you should be ok. :raz:

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

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melmck

melmck

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I'm not surprised by the ghost at all. There's a big cemetary right behind us. I had a dream about ghosts here long before I signed the lease, and there were 3 sitting around a computer, working. I said to them "are you guys ghosts?" to which they replies yes, and I said "wow! you're so industrious! I didn't know ghosts used computers" then they said they knew who I was and had been watching me.

The other morning, there were 3 chairs moved around a table, meeting style....

Melissa McKinney

Chef/Owner Criollo Bakery

mel@criollobakery.com

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tan319

tan319

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Ok, now I'm totally freaked...

Here's why

I'm down in my shop tonight, talking to one of the cooks,( coincidentally, about the concept of being dead but not really knowing it, more 'Vanilla Sky' then '6th Sense') when we hear a noise coming from the bathroom off the side of the bakery ( which I can see right into as well as anybody who would be going in or coming out) like a pipe running or whatever and as I look in I see that the water faucet has turned on, right to 12 'o'clock!

From not being on in the slightest.

The person in the room with me lost her shit, went running out of the room!!!

The restaurant is in a really old firehouse, almost a century old, I believe.

Couldn't believe I come here and start reading about ghosts!

:laugh:

2317/5000

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bloviatrix

bloviatrix

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You know.... the ghost thing might be a good marketing thing for you.....

I can see the tagline now....

"It's so good, even the dead can't stay away"

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

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chromedome

chromedome

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Gee...ya don't suppose a ghost who can use a computer could also fix a 20 qt. Hobart?

...Just wondering.... :huh:

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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K8memphis

K8memphis

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Gee...ya don't suppose a ghost who can use a computer could also fix a 20 qt. Hobart?

...Just wondering.... :huh:

Shoot - don't know till ya ask y'know! too funny!!!!!! :laugh: Ask 'em about icing cake & making croissants while you're at it???!!! :biggrin: Surely they could wash a few dishes!

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Berlinsbreads

Berlinsbreads

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I read a little blurb about Criollo in the A&E section of Friday's Oregonian (Dec.10). Nice write up, too! The picture looked great---I can't wait to stop by your place to see your creations in real life! They mention how nicely the interior space is decorated creating a nice atmosphere and then remembering how much work you put into it I'm sure that's nice to hear!

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melmck

melmck

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WOOOO-HOOOOO!!!

It's amazing what a little press will do for business. It was more than a blurb, it's 1 1/2 columns, and photo! so we were slammed Fri, Sat, Sun with record sales! it's about time...now I hope it stays that way. Me likey busy bakery...

as soon as I get the old man to scan/paste it in here you can read for yourselves.

Mel is happy. Tired from 17 hour days, but happy. :raz:

Melissa McKinney

Chef/Owner Criollo Bakery

mel@criollobakery.com

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bloviatrix

bloviatrix

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Is this the article that ran?

Criollo Bakery, the lush sweet spot that former Bluehour pastry chef Melissa McKinney opened a few months ago on the Beaumont plateau, bakes some good rustic breads. But it's primarily a sweet-tooth sort of place, with an elegant, sumptuous array that runs from teacakes and brioche to tortes and galettes. That helps explain why it seems so much more welcoming than a lot of bare-bones bakery cafes that never let you forget they're factories first.

"Some people see a sheet of seaweed and want to be wrapped in it. I want to see it around a piece of fish."-- William Grimes

"People are bastard-coated bastards, with bastard filling." - Dr. Cox on Scrubs

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  • 2 weeks later...
melmck

melmck

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Merry Christmas!!!

what an intense, exhausting month. ever since the article ran and the eat.shop.portland guide came out (Kaie Wellman's fabulous book!!!)

we have been slammed. finally hitting the numbers and exceeding them, this makes Mel very happy. record numbers leading up to Xmas, with the grand finale of Christmas Eve--- way too many orders, one employee short, 18 hour days 4 hours sleep, and a line behind the cash register, ALL DAY. that's right, all day. stuff was FLYING off the shelves, and I baked more stuff two more times, and it flew out also. I had to stop taking orders on Weds, because I spread all of them out over the big bakery table and screamed" OH MY GOD,WHAT HAVE I DONE ???" then I said, I want my Mommy.

lots of new faces and names, and lots of happy customers. one wealthy- looking woman commended me, and said, "Darling, it is all so ...tasteful." great, now tell all your rich friends about me and to bring their wallets!!!

So many thanks to all of the nice customers out there who are supporting me. friends, family and my dogs, who are all terribly neglected by me this year. thanks to the employees who worked their butts off!

this place just might make it :rolleyes:

Melissa McKinney

Chef/Owner Criollo Bakery

mel@criollobakery.com

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colestove

colestove

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YEAH,YEAH YEAH. YOU GO GIRL!!! Sometimes (not often enough) the good people score. After reading about your trials and tribulations, ( I opened 2 places of my own and can relate somewhat) I think I have some idea of the deep joy is the only word that comes to mind that you must be having. Contiued success in your work. My heartfelt awe at your achievement.

colestove

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