Shopping & Seasonal Food in Newport, OR?

[TheFuzzy]

Folks,

The family has rented a house on the coast near Newport, OR for TY day. Any recommendations on where to shop for fish, vegetables, mushrooms, etc. while we're there? As well as tips on what will be in season?

I've found Local Ocean Seafood by googling, but not much else. Tips welcome!

[azurite]

I'm responding way too late, but: there's a local organic foods co-op that is pretty good, the name is Oceana, it's definitely listed in the phone book, no idea if it has a website. Can't recall the phone number off hand, and it's not in the tourist areas but across the street from the city's recreation center (a bit east of or behind Newport's City Hall), that would be the north side of the recreation center, SE part of town (Newport is split into East & West by route 20, and west & east by highway 101--w/a few addressing anomalies due to age & road changes).

Every year, the co-op orders organic and free range turkeys, you make a small downpayment, select the general wt. range you want, and then you pick up your turkey 3-4 days prior to the holiday. You don't have to be a member to buy a turkey and the co-op usually has a few left over in case someone walks in & wants to buy one a day or two before TG day. You don't have to be a member to do any kind of shopping at the co-op.

Crab season doesn't open until early December, Local Oceans would be your best bet for seafood, as the owners sell "locally caught" which can mean fishermen who go all the way to Alaska and then return to Newport or fish closer) fish, and crab in season. Sometimes JC Market (NW corner of 101 & west Olive) has good deals on salmon & local shrimp (a small shrimp) because the buyers some times buy from the local fishermen. I used to buy Italian sausage meat at JC Market (still do sometimes) because I think they make it themselves & it's loose, it's not stuffed into sausage skins (or whatever they're called), and I prefer sausage in that form if I'm putting meat into a hot pasta/spaghetti sauce. There is a custom butcher in South Beach, it's a bit difficult to find as all there is a kind of largish wooden sign on the east side of 101. You have to drive down a bit of gravel road into an area of light industrial structures to find it, although you don't have to drive far. They are doing custom smoking now, I am not sure how much they have in the way of inventory for retail sale. I haven't been there since a little while after they opened, which is over a year ago.

The Saturday Farmers' market in Newport closes at the end of October. If you want to go to a Farmer's market for produce you'd have to drive to Corvallis (it has two, one in downtown Corvallis on Wednesdays, another out at the Fairgrounds on Saturdays, the downtown market has its last day the day before TG, the other may stay open over the winter). There is/was also one held in Wren (a short bit off of route 20, so somewhat closer than Corvallis. I have never been to that market, I think it's on Saturday, and is held in a Grange or community center building. I don't think it's still open, although I don't know when it closed or ended for the season.

Generally, what's in season will be cole crops and winter squash, other produce comes up from CA.

The co-op has a very good selection of bulk spices, it is definitely worth a visit. Overall, the bulk good selection is good and there's a good variety and range for a relatively small (Newport's population is about 12,000) population.

There is also a small Asian market, Mai's Asian Market or Mai's market, on East Olive (turns into Route 20 as you drive east & out of Newport--so Mai's is about 3 blocks east of the intersection of Hwy 101 & route 20), not much in the way of fresh but a good supply of Asian ingredients, Chinese & Indian, canned, bottled, in packets (noodles, etc.)as well as items like frozen curry leaves, etc. She has some frozen ingredients, probably pot stickers, etc. Mai's Market is about 2 blocks north of the co-op. The Safeway & Fred Meyer in Newport (both at the north end of town) also carry some organic produce, Freddie's has more than Safeway.

You can buy mushrooms at the co-op, in season you can find chantrelles, etc., that have been picked locally, the co-o usually has at least two mushroom varieties. If you feel like a drive east (or if you are driving to Corvallis to go to the Farmers' markets there (60-70 miles from Newport), you will go by a certified organic mushroom grower in Eddyville. He sells retail at his place, you will see a wooden "open" sign placed along side Route 20 if the place is open for business--although sometimes even when it's posted as open, it's not. There's an intercom w/a button to push (there are instructions posted) to try to reach someone at the house. If someone is there, you can buy mushrooms. I think they grow about 5-6 different varieties and all the ones I've bought have been good.

The co-op has some reasonably priced wines & microbrew beers. Rogue Ale brewery is in South Beach & Rogue may still have a place on the Bayfront that served beer & food as well.

In the having to do w/food but not food, there is an excellent used bookstore in Lincoln City, Robert's books, about 25 miles north along the coast, from Newport, that has a good cookbook selection. Their prices are good, the staff are pleasant and at least one of them is very knowledgeable. A very interesting selection of cookbooks & many other book categories or subject areas. Great place to spend a few hours on a rainy day.

Sorry I didn't see and respond to your e-mail sooner, by now you must be back in SF.

Edited December 11, 2010 by azurite (log)

[TheFuzzy]

Azurite,

Yep, long back. We did OK.

Portland Bay crab was in season, so we had crab available. I also got other local fish from Local Ocean Seafood. There was some kind of farmer's market on Wednesday, which we caught before it closed, and got the rest of our ingredients. Things went fairly well:

http://www.fuzzychef.org/archives/A-Northwest-Costal-Thanksgiving-Part-I-Portuguese-Salad-11-2010.html

Oh, and Rogue had their semi-annual mislabeled beer sale, which we took advantage of. I don't really recommend the food at Rogue Public House, but the beer and service were very good.

We'd heard about the mushroom guy, but didn't want to depend on him being open given the narrow time window, so we bought our mushrooms ... picked on the Oregon coast ... in Medford.

Edited December 13, 2010 by TheFuzzy (log)

[azurite]

Farmers' market on Wednesday on the coast? Where? Corvallis has a Wednesday farmers' market whose last day is the day before TG, but I wasn't aware of one on the coast. I really only keep track of Newport's as that's the closest one to me, but I thought that the one in Yachats was also on Saturday or Sunday (but it's not like I couldn't be wrong).

Glad you were able to find a sufficient amount & quality of food.

Agree that the Rogue doesn't have particularly good food (I don't drink beer so can't speak to the beer).

[Dann Cutter]

Waldport has a Wednesday market. It is about 15 miles south of Newport.

Edited September 22, 2011 by Dann Cutter (log)

[dhiggy cox]

Waldport has a Wednesday market. It is about 15 miles south of Newport.

Came here to post this. They have another but I can't remember when.

[azurite]

just to update for anyone visiting Newport during the winter. This year a winter farmers' market started in Newport. Just like the summer market, it's held on Saturday, but in a building at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds. I went once in November, and there was more crafts & some interesting art, then food. However, Walker Farms (locally raised meat, several kinds of bacon, goose, chicken, beef, pork) and at least one seller of honey were there. Here's a link w/information re: location, schedule, etc. http://tenriversfoodweb.org/home/grand-opening-of-the-newport-winter-market-9846/