Davidson’s menu: Retirement a la carte

"I'm old," quipped Ellendale Cafe owner Judy Davidson when explaining why she was making retirement the next item on her personal menu.
Davidson sold the cafe to Ellendale Mayor Russell Goette and his friend Patti Carlson. The changing of the guard took place on Tuesday, Jan. 14, Davidson's last day on the job.
Davidson owned and operated the small-town cafe for nearly 26 years.
The wonderful aroma of home cooking daily drew customers to this small-town café, which has existed on Ellendale's Main Street for many years.
Many of her loyal customers and friends stopped by the cafe on Tuesday to say "thank you" to Davidson and to wish her well in her retirement. She served cake and coffee. "I don't make cakes so I ordered one for the final day," she laughed.
It was the famous Judy Davidson home cooking that knocked the socks off her customers and lured them back on a regular basis. "I just like to cook and to bake," remarked Davidson.
Some of Davidson’s famous entrees included hot beef and hot pork platters. She also said her meat loaf and a variety of soups were customer favorites.
On the dessert side, she made cinnamon rolls and almost any kind of pie. Pecan and banana cream pies topped the list as pastry favorites.
Everything is homemade, and Davidson hopes that continues. She says she doesn't have any special recipes. "I just throw things together," she confesses. "Of course, certain things go with certain things," she clarified.
Davidson said she and Floyd, her husband of 51 years plan on "getting away to the south in the winter and north in the summer." She said they don't know "for sure" where they will land. They will keep residence in Ellendale, however.
She loves small towns and says the people of the small town of Ellendale will be missed by her the most. "Everybody knows everybody and it's kind of nice to know what is going on and to know what they want to eat," Davidson said.
The Ellendale Café, of course, has had its regulars during Davidson’s time as captain of the ship. Coming in almost every day have been Amanda Beach, Jim Johnson, Russell Nelson, Jeff Wayne and Larry Otto.
The Davidsons have four daughters: Chris of Colorado, Michelle of Waseca, Kathy of Austin and Susie of Osseo. Judy and Floyd also have six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.