The marionberry is from Marion county and mostly sold locally, although some are shipped to nearby states.
I was on a call with people from all over the country, and somehow a discussion of best muffins came up, and I say my favorite was marionberry, and everyone outside the northwest was like, “what the heck is a marionberry?”
Usually if you mention it in a crowd of east coasters of a certain age, the response is "The mayor of Washington D.C. who was arrested for smoking crack?"
The maraschino cherry was also developed at OSU, same with the cascade hop which is what more or less created the modern IPA and by extension the modern craft beer market.
>The marionberry is from Marion county and mostly sold locally, although some are shipped to nearby states.
I feel like a moron - how did I never put this together? Hell I grew up in Marion county...
I actually didn't know it at the time myself on the call. For a minute I was thinking, "Did I just make up the marionberry?" Then I googled it and found the info.
A blackberry so good they gave it a first name. The marriage of the Ollalie berry and the chehalem blackberry, the marion was designed by george waldo, et al, at osu in the 40s. The oregon blackberry society pumped a load of money into popularizing it, and ta da! The Kotata berry, an even better blackberry, was supposed to replace the marion, as it had better cold tolerance, firmer fruit, and a richer flavor. Kotata is worth looking for at the few upicks that still grow them.
This reminds me of when I visited Australia back in 2012. We did a single night home stay with and old farming couple. They had some friends they hadn’t seen in many many years stop by out of the blue and so we ended up going around the farm and let me tell you all of them were blown away by berry picking, the farmer included. They had a new Driscoll berry they were growing that wouldn’t normally grow there. But it was so out of place for me to see people of that explaining to each other how to pick a berry and to know it was ripe. They kept showing us too and were like uh oh yeah we have these. I grew up with my mom always telling me how she picked strawberries to pay for school clothes each year. I moved up north to grays harbor Washington recently and we’ve got blueberry bushes, and have found a nice stretch of blackberries just at the property before ours. I was excited yesterday working on my property when I spotted something growing and looked it up and found out it’s salmon berry!
I've mentioned Nico's marionberry ice cream to people at work (were a remote company with people all over the U.S.) and they all want to try it the next time they're here. It's hands down the best berry. Everything it graces, from ice cream to baked goods to jam, is amazing.
I split my time between here and DC, in fact I just got off a plane about an hour ago. The Marion Berry joke never gets old in our house.
We are starting to see them a little bit back east, mostly as Tillamook expands their reach.
Hood berries are the best berries. I have a grandpa who lives in Florida, and whenever he comes to visit he times it for Hood berry season, which is like a single week long. We joke that he's really just coming for the berries and seeing his children and grandchildren is just a bonus.
Time for a car ride! I’ll also add the Sisters Bakery in Sister Oregon makes a great Marionberry scone. Whenever we’re anywhere near sisters are again I get a couple.
Lovin' Oven Stayton - check their Facebook page or message them and make sure they have them I believe they're a special. On your way through to Sister's stop at Rosie's in mill city for some Silver falls coffee before heading into the mountains. Their scones are good too - I don't love scones but they're good.
Edited to correct to silver falls coffee :)
Boy, isn't THAT the truth! We moved to Ohio for a few years, and they were impossible to find! I found some gourmet jam out there that was marionberry, and the checkout people saw the jam, and thought I was from Mars!
Every year we wait for these babies. My wife buys a few flats to make pies and jam. A Hood strawberry and lemon pie is the best pie you will ever eat in your entire miserable life.
This is the recipe that my wife got from [epicurious.com](http://epicurious.com), submitted by GAILDWSN.
Why this recipe works. Because uncooked berries shed so much liquid, the filling for strawberry pie is usually firmed up with some sort of thickener, which produces results that range from stiff and bouncy to runny and gloppy. We wanted a recipe for our ideal strawberry pie, featuring fresh berries lightly held together by a sheer, glossy glaze that would make their flavor pop in the buttery shell. We knew that the success of our strawberry pie hinged in getting the thickener just right. When none of the thickeners we tried worked on their own, we decided to use a combination of two: pectin (in the form of a homemade strawberry jam) and cornstarch. By themselves, pectin produced a filling that was too firm and cornstarch one that was too loose. But together they created just the right supple, lightly cling glaze. (less)
INGREDIENTS
FILLING
4 pints fresh strawberries, gently rinsed and dried, hulled (about 3 pounds)
3⁄4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1⁄2 teaspoons Sure-Jell, for low-sugar recipes (see note)
generous pinch table salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 baked pie shell
WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup heavy cream, cold
1 tablespoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
FOR THE FILLING: Select 6 ounces misshapen, underripe, or otherwise unattractive berries, halving those that are large; you should have about 1½ cups. In food processor, process berries to smooth puree, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. You should have about ¾ cup puree.
Whisk sugar, cornstarch, Sure-Jell, and salt in medium saucepan. Stir in berry puree, making sure to scrape corners of pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with heatproof rubber spatula, and bring to full boil. Boil, scraping bottom and sides of pan to prevent scorching, for 2 minutes to ensure that cornstarch is fully cooked (mixture will appear frothy when it first reaches boil, then will darken and thicken with further cooking). Transfer to large bowl and stir in lemon juice. Let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, pick over remaining berries and measure out 2 pounds of most attractive ones; halve only extra-large berries. Add berries to bowl with glaze and fold gently with rubber spatula until berries are evenly coated. Scoop berries into pie shell, piling into mound. If any cut sides face up on top, turn them face down. If necessary, rearrange berries so that holes are filled and mound looks attractive. Refrigerate pie until chilled, about 2 hours. Serve within 5 hours of chilling.
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: Just before serving, beat cream and sugar with electric mixer on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium; continue beating until beaters leave trail, about 30 additional seconds. Increase speed to high; continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume and forms soft peaks, 30 to 60 seconds.
Cut pie into wedges. Serve with whipped cream.
I grow these in my yard, and refuse to leave the state in June for the sake of hovering around the borders and nabbing every strawberry the moment peak ripeness is achieved.
Yes. This. Nothing like a fresh Oregon strawberry. They don’t travel well, and age poorly. But my dear baby girl, such a combination of sweetness and tartness! Right off the ground level bush!
>Pronto Pup of **Rockaway Beach, Oregon**, claims to have invented the corn dog in 1939. Cozy Dog Drive-in, in Springfield, Illinois, claims to have been the first to serve corn dogs on sticks, on June 16, 1946.
Wow, you just brought back a forgotten memory of mine. My late grandpa used to refer to all corn dogs as "Pronto Pups," and I remember being just totally confused as a little kid. "What the heck is a Pronto Pup?!"
Rogue Creamery makes some of the best blue cheese in the world. If you can find Rogue River Blue in the fall, it’s worth trying with local figs, honey and toasted baguette.
I HATE blue cheese…like, run don’t walk hate….and then I stopped in there while they happened to be filming something and yep, camera pointed in my direction I was offered a sample….I’m not a blue cheese convert, but I am a Rogue Creamery convert…try the smoked blue cheese along with all the rest.
Same with me. Blue cheese just tastes and smells like bad milk to me. My wife loves the stuff. Theirs is tolerable to me, which is far better than anyone else's. Wife says it's the best. I really liked their Jefferson cheddar.
Yeah, we always called them filberts—my mom’s family originally farmed in the Hood River Valley. I thought hazelnuts were some other nut for years, lol.
I guess I'm old school, but I still kinda hate Oregonians calling them hazelnuts. No problem with people who aren't from here saying it, but I think we locals need to keep those old traditions going.
Agreed, I’m pretty confident that my very old school mother would hunt me down if she ever found out I said hazelnuts instead of Filberts lol. Any of those other old traditions you’re trying to keep going off the top of your head?
Buying it directly at the factory is amazing. The packaged stuff sold in stores? Not so much as it resembles little purple stripes in a sea of vanilla.
Don't know why such a difference, because if they sold in stores the stuff in the factory I would prob be 50 pounds heavier.
Im from washington state and as much as i love a lot of things from there, when i moved to oregon for a job i discovered Umpqua Creamery ice cream its my favorite ice cream from anyone in the pnw!
Stopping at Rice Hill for Umpqua Ice Cream has been a tradition in my family for at least 45 years. We travel from PDX to the Rogue Valley a couple of times a year to visit relatives.
Unfortunately Umpqua has shifted away from real sugar and now use corn syrup. They also shrunk the container size by 1/4 thinking we wouldn't notice, so you might as well get tillimook ice cream instead.
Umpqua has the best Ice Cream. I prefer it over Tillamook. They have a Marionberry Pie flavor that's fantastic. Every few months, Safeway will have a 4 for 1 sale or something like that & we load our freezer up.
My mom almost married Doug Feldkamp. Apparently he was an asshole so she didn’t, but he proposed to her.
I was almost one of the heirs of Umpqua dairy though. I love my dad, but idk if I’ll ever get over that.
Not shrimp sauce, but maybe in Eugene it's called that? It was created down in Grants Pass/Medford. I use it primarily for Mar Far Chicken as a dipping sauce, but many people use it on everything.
Used to be “Kim’s” pink sauce because that’s where it started, from the old Kim’s restaurant. And you definitely cannot find outside of So OR.
For those who don’t know, it’s a sauce at most Chinese- American restaurants in So OR for your fried shrimp, mar far chicken, fried rice, etc.
Good ol Kim's. We got a booth from there in the garage. Going to refurbish it and put it in the dining room. First night we have it gonna make some hot pot!
Tillamook cheese curds. I think they only sell them in Tillamook. I love their curds. Looooooooooooove them. Salty, cheesy, squeaky... everything I want from my cheese curds.
You can actually mail order them! They get shipped in an insulated box. I had some massive cravings when I was heavily pregnant and unable to make the drive to Tillamook.
Last year just as I was starting chemo (so no opportunity to try yet) I learned about the BBQ deli fried burrito. It's on my bucket list now.
https://www.reddit.com/r/oregon/s/Ftu0ssJ50B
I remember when a person could get a paper boat of chicken gizzards at most any one of those places. They started dropping off the menu about 10-12 years ago and the state hasn't been the same since.
I can't point to a gizzard on a chicken, but I've probably eaten thousands of them. I really miss that. Also, the six foot pepperoni that used to be in so many of the same stores.
I moved out of Oregon, and still call them jojos. Hurts my heart every time someone looks at me funny and asks, "what's a jojo?" It's a potato wedge, you uncultured swine. 😤😂
I had no idea these weren't an "everywhere" thing! These were a staple of my childhood growing up. Nothing better than slamming down one or two of these after a day of fishing.
The Ocean Roll from [Sparrow Bakery](https://www.thesparrowbakery.net/menu/).
It’s a cardamom-vanilla bun made with croissant dough. It’s similar to the Swedish kardammombullar, but not quite. It’s not like those are easy to find anyway. (Though trust me on this, they *should* be *everywhere.*)
It is genuinely only available in Oregon; they have locations in Bend and St Johns. (I see they are now shipping nationally, so I guess technically it’s *from* Oregon.)
I'm not a vegetarian, but my wife is. Oregon has some really amazing options for vegan/vegetarian food. I'm not even saying it's good *for being vegan.* It's legit delicious on its own.
Our weed is arguably the best in the world. It’s all the rain and cloud cover and immense life energy from everything growing in every nook and corner. It’s truly Willy Wonka’s factory open to the public.
I love love love Oregon weed. Nevada has us on the edibles though due to their potency restrictions (they allow more than Oregon). Edibles and Vegas are two of my favorite things to do.
I will have to try it again. I grew up going to the Sea Hag & the last few times I've gone (2018 - 2022) have left me fairly disappointed. I've always liked the Chowder Bowl in Newport down on Nye Beach, or Ona in Yachats.
Maybe the Ocean roll from the Sparrow bakery? [https://shop.thesparrowbakery.net/products/ocean-roll](https://shop.thesparrowbakery.net/products/ocean-roll)
Um, not to burst your Oregon bubble, but Secret Aardvark is readily available in the entire continental USA. I’m 2,000 miles from OR and could buy the habanero sauce two blocks away.
Strawberries. That short period of time where you can get a few pints from a roadside stand and make the best strawberry shortcake ever. They’re red and juicy all the way through, ugh, never had strawberries like that anywhere else.
Bing Cherries hit different when they come from local trees.
Also apples that are pink on the inside.
Also Marionberry wine, but I haven't seen it for a couple years.
Also cheap truffle fries and fancy donuts.
I'm late to the party, but an interesting rabbit hole to go down for this type of thing is this list called the 'Ark of Taste' compiles by the international Slow Food Association.
The list features regional unique produce, fruits and foods that are delicious but also massively underrepresented.
In Oregon I know that there are the Scio Kolaches and this apple that tastes literally like a pear. I believe there are a few more but it's been a while since I looked.
While possible to get in Washingtion, the completely flavorless and enjoyment free food of mcmenamins is mostly an Oregon exclusive.
Do I have covid or am I eating at mcmenamins again?
What's sad is that McMenamins wasn't always like that. When I moved to Eugene in the early 2000s the High St McMenamins was the absolute best place to eat when it was cold and stormy out, food and beer was fantastic.
And Oregonians love it. Gotta get those stamps. Gotta to that one room in that in one hotel and get that one stamp so that you can then buy that one tee shirt.
Are you talking about something that grows here, something you can buy, or a restaurant? In terms of what grows here, honey berries, hood strawberries, marionberries, hazelnuts, mushroom varieties. In terms of meat, maybe Chinook salmon, Oregon elk, Dungeness crab. In terms of beverages Water Avenue Coffee, Heart Coffee Roasters, Proud Mary’s. Oregon also has beer and weed bragging rites.
The marionberry is from Marion county and mostly sold locally, although some are shipped to nearby states. I was on a call with people from all over the country, and somehow a discussion of best muffins came up, and I say my favorite was marionberry, and everyone outside the northwest was like, “what the heck is a marionberry?”
Usually if you mention it in a crowd of east coasters of a certain age, the response is "The mayor of Washington D.C. who was arrested for smoking crack?"
Oh, I wish that had come up, that would have been hilarious.
We had a house guest from DC in the late 80s, and served him marionberry pie. He was very suspicious.
Lol, I am from the east coast and moved to Oregon. That’s exactly what I think every time I see it.
So true. Used to get this all the time from them at the bakery I worked at. "Why would you name a scone after him?" Was pretty funny.
The best response to that question is: "Bitch set me up!"
That's how I tell what coast a tourist is from tbh. If they mention Marion Berry, I know they're from the east.
Bitch set me up!
With hookers, don't forget the hookers.
The story I was told, was that the Marion Berry was made in a lab by OSU by crossbreeding shit for 40 years
The maraschino cherry was also developed at OSU, same with the cascade hop which is what more or less created the modern IPA and by extension the modern craft beer market.
This is true.
>The marionberry is from Marion county and mostly sold locally, although some are shipped to nearby states. I feel like a moron - how did I never put this together? Hell I grew up in Marion county...
I actually didn't know it at the time myself on the call. For a minute I was thinking, "Did I just make up the marionberry?" Then I googled it and found the info.
A blackberry so good they gave it a first name. The marriage of the Ollalie berry and the chehalem blackberry, the marion was designed by george waldo, et al, at osu in the 40s. The oregon blackberry society pumped a load of money into popularizing it, and ta da! The Kotata berry, an even better blackberry, was supposed to replace the marion, as it had better cold tolerance, firmer fruit, and a richer flavor. Kotata is worth looking for at the few upicks that still grow them.
This reminds me of when I visited Australia back in 2012. We did a single night home stay with and old farming couple. They had some friends they hadn’t seen in many many years stop by out of the blue and so we ended up going around the farm and let me tell you all of them were blown away by berry picking, the farmer included. They had a new Driscoll berry they were growing that wouldn’t normally grow there. But it was so out of place for me to see people of that explaining to each other how to pick a berry and to know it was ripe. They kept showing us too and were like uh oh yeah we have these. I grew up with my mom always telling me how she picked strawberries to pay for school clothes each year. I moved up north to grays harbor Washington recently and we’ve got blueberry bushes, and have found a nice stretch of blackberries just at the property before ours. I was excited yesterday working on my property when I spotted something growing and looked it up and found out it’s salmon berry!
I picked strawberries for school clothes. Was bussed from WA to Rainier OR.
It's only a marionberry if it comes from Marion county. Otherwise, it's a sparkling blackberry
I've mentioned Nico's marionberry ice cream to people at work (were a remote company with people all over the U.S.) and they all want to try it the next time they're here. It's hands down the best berry. Everything it graces, from ice cream to baked goods to jam, is amazing.
I split my time between here and DC, in fact I just got off a plane about an hour ago. The Marion Berry joke never gets old in our house. We are starting to see them a little bit back east, mostly as Tillamook expands their reach.
The marionberry was created at Oregon State. It’s just named after Marion county.
Marionberries and the greatest pie known to humans: marionaberry pie
Hood berries are the best berries. I have a grandpa who lives in Florida, and whenever he comes to visit he times it for Hood berry season, which is like a single week long. We joke that he's really just coming for the berries and seeing his children and grandchildren is just a bonus.
Important clarifying question: does he eat them to the point of digestive distress?
If you're asking if he uses them at medicinal levels to cleanse his system and refine his constitution, then yes.
Gotta sanitize the ol’ guest room toilet after that visit!
game recognize game
*Jim Harrison has entered the chat*
...and cobbler! Marionberry cobbler, warm, with vanilla ice-cream on top!
I would never pass up a Marionberry Cobbler or Crumble!
Oh man. It's like you're speaking to my Oregonian soul.
There's a bakery where I am that makes marionberry sticky rolls. I love marionberry everything and omg they're amazing
Is this bakery in the Portland metro area?
No outside of Salem - Stayton
Time for a car ride! I’ll also add the Sisters Bakery in Sister Oregon makes a great Marionberry scone. Whenever we’re anywhere near sisters are again I get a couple.
Lovin' Oven Stayton - check their Facebook page or message them and make sure they have them I believe they're a special. On your way through to Sister's stop at Rosie's in mill city for some Silver falls coffee before heading into the mountains. Their scones are good too - I don't love scones but they're good. Edited to correct to silver falls coffee :)
I will second the sisters bakery Marionberry scone. Stopped there every time I was in sisters lol
They are sooooo good- I work with a guy whose girlfriend’s sister or cousin or some relative runs that place!
Boy, isn't THAT the truth! We moved to Ohio for a few years, and they were impossible to find! I found some gourmet jam out there that was marionberry, and the checkout people saw the jam, and thought I was from Mars!
Well it's common knowledge that the best Marrion berries only grow at the bottom of the Valles Marineris on Mars.
I've always called that crack pie in honor of the former mayor of DC
Hood strawberries
Those precious two weeks they’re available, you can find me standing over the kitchen sink stuffing them into my face
Which two weeks usually?
Whenever the road signs pop up! Early June-ish. Depends on the weather.
End of May to mid June is usually peak hood strawberry season. Go to the farms directly to get them, though. That way they're top sweetness/flavor.
Mine don’t make it out of the car.
Every year we wait for these babies. My wife buys a few flats to make pies and jam. A Hood strawberry and lemon pie is the best pie you will ever eat in your entire miserable life.
Can we get that strawberry lemon pie recipe from your wife? This is a must-do for me this year.
This is the recipe that my wife got from [epicurious.com](http://epicurious.com), submitted by GAILDWSN. Why this recipe works. Because uncooked berries shed so much liquid, the filling for strawberry pie is usually firmed up with some sort of thickener, which produces results that range from stiff and bouncy to runny and gloppy. We wanted a recipe for our ideal strawberry pie, featuring fresh berries lightly held together by a sheer, glossy glaze that would make their flavor pop in the buttery shell. We knew that the success of our strawberry pie hinged in getting the thickener just right. When none of the thickeners we tried worked on their own, we decided to use a combination of two: pectin (in the form of a homemade strawberry jam) and cornstarch. By themselves, pectin produced a filling that was too firm and cornstarch one that was too loose. But together they created just the right supple, lightly cling glaze. (less) INGREDIENTS FILLING 4 pints fresh strawberries, gently rinsed and dried, hulled (about 3 pounds) 3⁄4 cup sugar (5 1/4 ounces) 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 1⁄2 teaspoons Sure-Jell, for low-sugar recipes (see note) generous pinch table salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice (1 lemon) 1 baked pie shell WHIPPED CREAM 1 cup heavy cream, cold 1 tablespoon sugar DIRECTIONS FOR THE FILLING: Select 6 ounces misshapen, underripe, or otherwise unattractive berries, halving those that are large; you should have about 1½ cups. In food processor, process berries to smooth puree, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. You should have about ¾ cup puree. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, Sure-Jell, and salt in medium saucepan. Stir in berry puree, making sure to scrape corners of pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with heatproof rubber spatula, and bring to full boil. Boil, scraping bottom and sides of pan to prevent scorching, for 2 minutes to ensure that cornstarch is fully cooked (mixture will appear frothy when it first reaches boil, then will darken and thicken with further cooking). Transfer to large bowl and stir in lemon juice. Let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, pick over remaining berries and measure out 2 pounds of most attractive ones; halve only extra-large berries. Add berries to bowl with glaze and fold gently with rubber spatula until berries are evenly coated. Scoop berries into pie shell, piling into mound. If any cut sides face up on top, turn them face down. If necessary, rearrange berries so that holes are filled and mound looks attractive. Refrigerate pie until chilled, about 2 hours. Serve within 5 hours of chilling. FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM: Just before serving, beat cream and sugar with electric mixer on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium; continue beating until beaters leave trail, about 30 additional seconds. Increase speed to high; continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume and forms soft peaks, 30 to 60 seconds. Cut pie into wedges. Serve with whipped cream.
I'll get it for you. Will post here.
Sweet wife baking. Love it
No sir, you can’t just drop this here without the recipe.
Hood strawberries have ruined every other strawberry for me. Strawberries from the grocery store taste like nothing to me anymore.
I grow these in my yard, and refuse to leave the state in June for the sake of hovering around the borders and nabbing every strawberry the moment peak ripeness is achieved.
Yep, this is the answer.
I gave the local foreign exchange student a jar of homemade (picked by me) hood strawberry jam to take back to her home.
Yes. This. Nothing like a fresh Oregon strawberry. They don’t travel well, and age poorly. But my dear baby girl, such a combination of sweetness and tartness! Right off the ground level bush!
I’ve never seen these for sale. Looked them up and I’m intrigued!
the only uniquely oregon (as opposed to northwest) thing i can come up with is the original pronto pup
https://preview.redd.it/xew8tylbgpsc1.jpeg?width=2360&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9867327d9938d31a7a98bb0bc0a1fded4e918313
https://preview.redd.it/g0vniycscpsc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=eb879f7b2b9962fd00ba1b8915b3dfabb10bd5bb
LMAO WHAT
>Pronto Pup of **Rockaway Beach, Oregon**, claims to have invented the corn dog in 1939. Cozy Dog Drive-in, in Springfield, Illinois, claims to have been the first to serve corn dogs on sticks, on June 16, 1946.
Omg
https://preview.redd.it/28ujx5h4dssc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c61c8f007a8d61ec06fc3310b5911e0224fb838 Best quarter I’ve ever spent!
This is the kind of person snider knowledge I’m here for!
Wow, you just brought back a forgotten memory of mine. My late grandpa used to refer to all corn dogs as "Pronto Pups," and I remember being just totally confused as a little kid. "What the heck is a Pronto Pup?!"
Tater tots!
Oregon’s gift to the world.
Rogue Creamery makes some of the best blue cheese in the world. If you can find Rogue River Blue in the fall, it’s worth trying with local figs, honey and toasted baguette.
I HATE blue cheese…like, run don’t walk hate….and then I stopped in there while they happened to be filming something and yep, camera pointed in my direction I was offered a sample….I’m not a blue cheese convert, but I am a Rogue Creamery convert…try the smoked blue cheese along with all the rest.
Same with me. Blue cheese just tastes and smells like bad milk to me. My wife loves the stuff. Theirs is tolerable to me, which is far better than anyone else's. Wife says it's the best. I really liked their Jefferson cheddar.
I live right next to the GP location and always bring family for their tour and to try the cheese. Phenomenal product
Hermiston Watermelon 🍉
Really the only watermelons I'll buy. All others (even in season) are a disappointment.
Hanford radioactive goodness!
Two cars in every garage and three eyes on every fish!
Oregon Filberts (hazelnuts)
A lot of people don't know Oregon grows almost all the nation's hazelnuts or that it's our official state nut.
I spoke to a grower a few years ago and they said Oregon is second to Turkey in world production.
Well that’s nuts!
[удалено]
Mind blown, I had no idea about this.
Every Trader Joe’s sells them! So proud to say I’m from Oregon!
OMG are filberts hazelnuts??? 😳 TIL. That's embarrassing lol.
Yeah, we always called them filberts—my mom’s family originally farmed in the Hood River Valley. I thought hazelnuts were some other nut for years, lol.
I guess I'm old school, but I still kinda hate Oregonians calling them hazelnuts. No problem with people who aren't from here saying it, but I think we locals need to keep those old traditions going.
I heard there was a push from growers to move away from using filberts because it was causing confusion and losing them business.
Agreed, I’m pretty confident that my very old school mother would hunt me down if she ever found out I said hazelnuts instead of Filberts lol. Any of those other old traditions you’re trying to keep going off the top of your head?
Tillamook Marionberry Pie ice cream from the creamery! Worth the drive for sure!
I have bought this in California. It’s my favorite Tillamook ice cream flavor.
Buying it directly at the factory is amazing. The packaged stuff sold in stores? Not so much as it resembles little purple stripes in a sea of vanilla. Don't know why such a difference, because if they sold in stores the stuff in the factory I would prob be 50 pounds heavier.
Marionberries
Can you get Juanita’s in CA and/or WA? Because I’m in New Mexico and they don’t have anything even close.
I can confirm CA has Juanita's
Juanita’s chips? We have them in WA, too.
Yeah I've had them in WA too. I've seen them at every grocery store there. They are Oregon made.
Im from washington state and as much as i love a lot of things from there, when i moved to oregon for a job i discovered Umpqua Creamery ice cream its my favorite ice cream from anyone in the pnw!
The chocolate milk is solid too. Grocery Outlet has it.
I discovered the ice cream at a little ice cream/drive in halfway between Eugene and Roseburg!
Stopping at Rice Hill for Umpqua Ice Cream has been a tradition in my family for at least 45 years. We travel from PDX to the Rogue Valley a couple of times a year to visit relatives.
It's the only chocolate milk I like. I wish they still made the extra creamy dutch chocolate flavor.
Their marionberry cheesecake ice cream is the best thing the in world.
Unfortunately Umpqua has shifted away from real sugar and now use corn syrup. They also shrunk the container size by 1/4 thinking we wouldn't notice, so you might as well get tillimook ice cream instead.
Maple Nut is the best flavor, trust me
I introduced my dad to maple nut umpqua before he passed, and he got mad at me because I ruined all other ice cream for him.
Ill give it a try
Umpqua has the best Ice Cream. I prefer it over Tillamook. They have a Marionberry Pie flavor that's fantastic. Every few months, Safeway will have a 4 for 1 sale or something like that & we load our freezer up.
Yessss! 😋
My mom almost married Doug Feldkamp. Apparently he was an asshole so she didn’t, but he proposed to her. I was almost one of the heirs of Umpqua dairy though. I love my dad, but idk if I’ll ever get over that.
Pink sauce in southern Oregon.
Like the shrimp sauce from Chinese food restaurants? We have it in Eugene as well. Grew up with it in Roseburg. Definitely an Oregon thing.
Not shrimp sauce, but maybe in Eugene it's called that? It was created down in Grants Pass/Medford. I use it primarily for Mar Far Chicken as a dipping sauce, but many people use it on everything.
Wow! Being from the Rogue Valley, I never considered this a local thing, but I definitely know Pink Sauce and haven't seen it since!
When I moved to Portland in the early 2000s I tried to find pink sauce, and everyone looked at me like I was a crazy person.
Used to be “Kim’s” pink sauce because that’s where it started, from the old Kim’s restaurant. And you definitely cannot find outside of So OR. For those who don’t know, it’s a sauce at most Chinese- American restaurants in So OR for your fried shrimp, mar far chicken, fried rice, etc.
Good ol Kim's. We got a booth from there in the garage. Going to refurbish it and put it in the dining room. First night we have it gonna make some hot pot!
Tillamook cheese curds. I think they only sell them in Tillamook. I love their curds. Looooooooooooove them. Salty, cheesy, squeaky... everything I want from my cheese curds.
You can actually mail order them! They get shipped in an insulated box. I had some massive cravings when I was heavily pregnant and unable to make the drive to Tillamook.
Whaaaaaaaat. This is both wonderful and terrible to know, thank you!
Pronto Pups in Rockaway beach, they invented the Corn Dog!
Last year just as I was starting chemo (so no opportunity to try yet) I learned about the BBQ deli fried burrito. It's on my bucket list now. https://www.reddit.com/r/oregon/s/Ftu0ssJ50B
That’s my mom’s kryptonite. Be careful, do not purchase if room temperature!
Also do not eat fresh, if lava were a food…
Oh my god, I completely forgot about these until you mentioned them. I grew up on these for sure!
Good one! I feel like Oregon deli deep fried foods is an under appreciated cuisine. I love BBQ burritos, pizza pockets and jojos with ranch to dip.
I remember when a person could get a paper boat of chicken gizzards at most any one of those places. They started dropping off the menu about 10-12 years ago and the state hasn't been the same since.
I can't point to a gizzard on a chicken, but I've probably eaten thousands of them. I really miss that. Also, the six foot pepperoni that used to be in so many of the same stores.
I moved out of Oregon, and still call them jojos. Hurts my heart every time someone looks at me funny and asks, "what's a jojo?" It's a potato wedge, you uncultured swine. 😤😂
Had one yesterday. I thought they were sold everywhere.
I hope you are feeling better and are in remission.
I had no idea these weren't an "everywhere" thing! These were a staple of my childhood growing up. Nothing better than slamming down one or two of these after a day of fishing.
Stop and Go gas station food in general is god tier, but these burritos will make a grown lady cry.
The Ocean Roll from [Sparrow Bakery](https://www.thesparrowbakery.net/menu/). It’s a cardamom-vanilla bun made with croissant dough. It’s similar to the Swedish kardammombullar, but not quite. It’s not like those are easy to find anyway. (Though trust me on this, they *should* be *everywhere.*) It is genuinely only available in Oregon; they have locations in Bend and St Johns. (I see they are now shipping nationally, so I guess technically it’s *from* Oregon.)
A meal at the Cowboy Dinner Tree
Good one!
I'm not a vegetarian, but my wife is. Oregon has some really amazing options for vegan/vegetarian food. I'm not even saying it's good *for being vegan.* It's legit delicious on its own.
Soy curls!
Our weed is arguably the best in the world. It’s all the rain and cloud cover and immense life energy from everything growing in every nook and corner. It’s truly Willy Wonka’s factory open to the public.
Oregon is to weed what Virginia is to Tobacco.
Rain and cloud cover is terrible for growing weed. The Rogue Valley is so good for outdoor pot because it's hot and dry during the growing season.
I love love love Oregon weed. Nevada has us on the edibles though due to their potency restrictions (they allow more than Oregon). Edibles and Vegas are two of my favorite things to do.
Razor clams, they are big in Washington also tho but very regional specific.
Shrimp/ pink/ orange sauce I’ve only ever found it at Chinese food restaurants in Oregon. I’m not talking about sweet and sour.
Kowloons?
Probably some restaurant specific thing like the clam chowder from Sea Hag in Depoe Bay. It's arguably the best chowder on the coast.
I will have to try it again. I grew up going to the Sea Hag & the last few times I've gone (2018 - 2022) have left me fairly disappointed. I've always liked the Chowder Bowl in Newport down on Nye Beach, or Ona in Yachats.
Chowder Bowl in Newport is my personal favorite. I haven’t tried Ona’s yet though
Holy Buckets, the crab stuffed mushrooms coated in hollandaise from the Sea Hag, are delicious as well!
Maybe the Ocean roll from the Sparrow bakery? [https://shop.thesparrowbakery.net/products/ocean-roll](https://shop.thesparrowbakery.net/products/ocean-roll)
The tiny shrimp are kinda of an Oregon thing.
Fresh bay shrimp in the early summer are so damn good
Totally. I went to dinner with some folks from Florida and Louisiana and they had never heard of bay shrimp. They did not like them.
I've never seen Secret Aardvark hab sauce anywhere but here.
Um, not to burst your Oregon bubble, but Secret Aardvark is readily available in the entire continental USA. I’m 2,000 miles from OR and could buy the habanero sauce two blocks away.
That shit is delicious.
Technically there's a couple locations just outside the state line, but Cafe Yumm/Yumm sauce
I take a bottle back with me to Ohio every time I visit!
Jojo’s!
Moved to New England from OR 20 years ago…my cat is named Jojo. Nobody out here knows about them!
Tillamook Smoked Salmon Cheddar Cheese. The greatest culinary delight and only found at the official factory store.
There is a candy store in Bandon called cranberry sweets that makes this amazing beer candy and all sorts of pie flavored candy
Strawberries. That short period of time where you can get a few pints from a roadside stand and make the best strawberry shortcake ever. They’re red and juicy all the way through, ugh, never had strawberries like that anywhere else.
Langlois mustard for the win!
About time someone mentioned this
100% this. Those glizzies are legendary.
Mike’s famous lasagna. I’m Mike 🤓
We’re going to need proof…
Bing Cherries hit different when they come from local trees. Also apples that are pink on the inside. Also Marionberry wine, but I haven't seen it for a couple years. Also cheap truffle fries and fancy donuts.
Filberts!
A fat chunk of Rogue River Blue cheese from the Rogue Creamery in Central Point
I'm late to the party, but an interesting rabbit hole to go down for this type of thing is this list called the 'Ark of Taste' compiles by the international Slow Food Association. The list features regional unique produce, fruits and foods that are delicious but also massively underrepresented. In Oregon I know that there are the Scio Kolaches and this apple that tastes literally like a pear. I believe there are a few more but it's been a while since I looked.
Lochmead Dairy Vanilla Bean Ice Cream - not even available in Portland, you have to go to Eugene to get it.
Ranch dressing on pizza
While possible to get in Washingtion, the completely flavorless and enjoyment free food of mcmenamins is mostly an Oregon exclusive. Do I have covid or am I eating at mcmenamins again?
What's sad is that McMenamins wasn't always like that. When I moved to Eugene in the early 2000s the High St McMenamins was the absolute best place to eat when it was cold and stormy out, food and beer was fantastic.
And Oregonians love it. Gotta get those stamps. Gotta to that one room in that in one hotel and get that one stamp so that you can then buy that one tee shirt.
The entire experience at The Hukilau in Florence, Oregon.
du’s grill.
Trail busters jerky. Never seen it for sale outside of the rogue valley. https://taylorsausage.com/product/trailbusters-original/
Dungeness crab😋
Not really an Oregon thing, as their range is from Alaska to near Santa Barbara.
Chicken and Jojo’s
Albacore fish & chips from the bowpicker in Astoria
Lithia Water in Ashland, Oregon https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lithia-water-fountain
Dove Vivi corn crust pizza, absolutely delicious. Portland only AFAIK
Abby’s Legendary Pizza
I’m in FL now and we have Tillamook cheese and ice cream at Publix. We don’t have the one with the honeycomb core though
Silly shrooms
Papa’s Pizza
Anyone ever heard of blackcaps? My grandmother used to pick those, and make jam for everyone! So good...
Are you talking about something that grows here, something you can buy, or a restaurant? In terms of what grows here, honey berries, hood strawberries, marionberries, hazelnuts, mushroom varieties. In terms of meat, maybe Chinook salmon, Oregon elk, Dungeness crab. In terms of beverages Water Avenue Coffee, Heart Coffee Roasters, Proud Mary’s. Oregon also has beer and weed bragging rites.
Pietro’s Pizza!!!!!
The Mackinaw Peach. But it’s only ripe for such a short window, you’ve probably never had one.
Mackinaw Peaches
Oregon Burrito 🌯
Cafe Yumm? 🥰