Antique, pull-down maps, chalk boards, pictures of George Washington and Abe Lincoln, and an aged, class photo decorate an old, country school building converted to a restaurant in Mantorville, Minnesota.
The old school house is now the Old School Café, with good cooking, and a popular spot for town folks to eat. The portions were generous and the food was tasty and the ambiance was nostalgic and cheery.
Outside was also inviting. There were old wooden benches and a school desk on the wide, front porch. There was a bell tower with the bell intact and rope hanging from it. Sculptures of children were placed around the grounds…a lovely idea for a school house yard.
There were many, pretty flower pots scattered throughout the yard. On one side of the café was a charming, old wooden house dated 1855, that looked occupied, and the other side of the cafe was a garden area. It was fun to look around, and a delightful way to start the day.
Our next stop was the Spam Museum in Austin, Minnesota.
An interesting, fun (and free!) museum dedicated to the story of Hormel’s specific product SPAM. Hormel began in the late 1800’s but SPAM was created in 1936 and became popular in WWII when the military ordered lots of SPAM to provide for the armed forces overseas… because it was convenient, and the shelf life was lengthy.
Some in the military might say the government overused SPAM. But it continues to sell today and there are multiple flavors of SPAM, and it is sold in multiple countries all over the world.
Free samples of SPAM were offered. We tasted the hickory smoked version and it was very good.
Of course, there is a gift shop featuring all things “Spam”, including flip flops that spell out SPAM when you walk in the sand!
