By Ashley Lodato
There’s something new and fresh in Chelan and it comes by way of soon-to-be former Winthrop resident Lindsay Evans. Lindsay, who worked at the Cinnamon Twisp bakery after moving to the Methow Valley, has been a teacher at Little Star Montessori School for the past decade or so. But her true passion is baking, and her croissants and pies have been making an appearance at meetings and auctions around the valley for years.
Since deciding to take the plunge to bring an artisan bakery to the Lake Chelan region, Lindsay has been immersing herself in the art of creating scrumptious muffins, scones, cinnamon rolls and sourdough bread. In June, Lindsay spent a week at the San Francisco Baking Institute perfecting the art of breakfast pastries and other delectables and, she says, “having the time of my life!”
After the fun of the baking school, Lindsay and her carpenter husband, Luke, threw themselves into the work of transforming their commercial space near the Safeway in Chelan into a top-notch bakery and small café, with free Wi-Fi and local art on the walls, and a bakery logo created by former Winthrop resident Baylie Peplow, who now owns Red Umbrella Designs in Seattle.
Lindsay plans to open the Lake Chelan Artisan Bakery this Thursday (Aug. 15), with an assortment of irresistible baked goods accompanied by Blue Star coffee (made by baristas trained by the incomparable Meg and Dan Donohue at the Blue Star roasting plant).
Lindsay grew up in Chelan and has family there, so the move is a logical one, but the Evans family’s move is a loss for Winthrop. A gastronomic gain for Chelan, though! Stop by on your way into or out of the Methow.
The Perseid meteor shower was somewhat eclipsed by the electrical storms that dominated central Washington this weekend, but at least two Winthrop families were determined to view the shower from higher elevations. Ask Jeff Monahan and John Crandall about camping on top of Driveway Butte with their young kids on Friday night. Sounds like it was pretty exciting.
One of the best-liked guys in Winthrop turns 60 this week. If you haven’t been the beneficiary of Mike Pruett’s multitude of volunteer services or generally cheerful goodwill and good humor, then you probably haven’t been involved with any of the nonprofits in the valley. When you see Mike around town, be sure to wish him a happy entrance into his seventh decade.
