Cannon Beach Cottage & Garden Tour

Cannon Beach Cottage & Garden Tour, Sept 7-9 (photo courtesy of CB Museum)

 

You can get a glimpse of coastal living in Cannon Beach, Oregon at the annual Cottage & Garden Tour, held the middle of September each year.

Historic inns, vintage homes, and special gardens will welcome guests to enjoy a weekend of special receptions, presentations, concerts, a garden tea, wine tastings, and even a costume contest.

The annual event is coordinated by the Cannon Beach History Center & Museum which celebrates the town’s heritage as a coastal destination community.

Two of the weekend special events are hosted at the Tolovana Inn.

Cannon Beach has been a destination community since the 1880’s.  In fact, in an August 1891 issue of The Daily Astorian newspaper, Cannon Beach was declared a “sportsman’s paradise.”  Additionally, it was heralded as an “ideal location for rest and recuperation.” Still true!

Cannon Beach has emerged into a picture-perfect destination of unmatched charm.  And during this special weekend,  you can experience it in an extraordinary way.

Vintage Cannon Beach fun (photo from CB Museum)

Fresh Food & Flowers Tuesdays at CB Farmer’s Market

280237image235On Tuesdays, now through September 27, guests and residents of Cannon Beach can shop in the afternoons at the Farmer’s Market.

Music and prepared food booths open starting at 1pm.  All other vendors are up and selling by 2pm, offering a wide variety of fresh produce, pasture-raised meat, organic cheeses, and hand-crafted artisan foods.   Fresh flowers are also available at the Tuesday afternoon market, which winds up each day at 5pm.

The Cannon Beach Farmers Market is located adjacent to  Cannon Beach City Hall, in the Midtown parking area at the intersection of Gower and Hemlock  It is about a 15-20 minute walk north from the inviting, ocean front rooms at the Tolovana Inn.

 

 

Winter Dungeness Crab: Fresh and Tasty in Cannon Beach

6601777601_c138e3458f_b crabDungeness crabbing is underway and Cannon Beach’s Ecola Seafood opens tomorrow, January 14, offering fresh-caught Oregon Dungeness along with other local seafood.

With beach-front suites featuring complete kitchens, Tolovana Inn is a perfect place to stay when you want to prepare and enjoy a local seafood feast while enjoying incredible ocean views.

Sweet, delicate and tasty Oregon Dungessess crab is a winter culinary treat that is both versatile and easy to prepare.  It’s in season now, through April.  It can be served simply, or elegantly, equally at home on newspaper or china. It’s easy to prepare, too!

Cooked crab can be served chilled or heated in a steamer, broiler or oven for 4-5 minutes. As a featured ingredient in a hot entrée, Dungeness crab meat goes well with pasta, in casseroles and in seafood-based soups.

Served chilled, it’s ideal in a Crab Louis or cocktail-style.  Fresh crab is a delicious appetizer, served with a warm melted butter or a tasty dipping sauce, like a blend of mayo and siracha.

To cook a live crab, simply place it in boiling salted water and cook for 18-20 minutes–after the water returns to a boil.   The shell will turn a bright orange.  Then, immerse the crab in cold water to cool it before cleaning, removing the gills and viscera before serving. Check with your purveyor if you have questions.

Accompanied by an Oregon wine or an ale, fresh Dungeness is just one of the many blessings of the bounty of Oregon.

Ecola Seafoods, located at 2nd and Spruce, in Cannon Beach is open daily from 10am to 6pm.

Oregon Dungeness crab generates more than $50 million annually.  About 300 commercial crabbing boats dot the Oregon coast each winter.