Fall Colors on the Market in Ashland, Oregon

On a calm October morning I walked a few steps uphill from one beautiful Victorian of The Winchester Inn to another – for breakfast. The sky was powder-blue, the air was crisp, and some red foliage just started peeking here and there over the roofs. Ashland and the entire Rogue Valley region in Southern Oregon enjoy mild Mediterranean-type climate – a reason for bourgeoning wine industry and a cornucopia of locally grown produce I was yet to discover on a trip to the local market, scheduled later that day…
A fat calico sat on the front porch, waiting for the Inn guests to share some bacon bits, perhaps. The Inn’s restaurant, set up for a linen-napkin breakfast, was sunlit and decorated in Fall colors.
Luscious meals are a tradition at the family-owned Inn. Breakfasts, included in the room price, usually offer three choices: pouched eggs with gourmet sauces, frittatas/omelets, and waffles/pancakes/French toasts adorned with fresh berries. Attentive staff will bring a delicious house-made scone or muffin to the table in any case, along with a large cup of coffee or a gourmet Tea forte silk pyramid.
Attention to detail and genuine hospitality make The Winchester, a member of Unique Inns, a destination of choice with its loyal return customers. Year after year anniversary couples, theatre lovers, and vacationers come here to relax in its individually designed rooms with luxurious beds and royal amenities (winchesterinn.com).
A short walk away is a cozy downtown with boutique shopping, an array of good restaurants, full-service spa salons, and unique art galleries.


Ashland Creek flows past wild and wooded Lithia Park with velvety green lawns – and don’t forget the lithium-rich natural mineral water – go ahead, try it from a drinking fountain on the Plaza!
There is also a fascinating story to be heard about the city’s past and some pipe dreams of the new Karlsbad, presented by The Imagine Project, Home of Ashand Audiowalks in one of their many historic audiotours (ashlandaudiowalks.com).



State-of-the-art theatre district – home to Oregon Shakespeare Festival is also nearby (osfashland.org). It is safe to go to a stellar performance of Macbeth at Angus Bowmer Theatre and then walk back through the lively streets, filled with leisurely retirees and Southern Oregon University students.
If a perfect little town really exists, it might very well be Ashland.




My trip to the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters Market was a revelation of sorts. First, I discovered an amazing bounty of the land - from beets and sorrel to lobster mushrooms, and then the entrepreneurial spirit of local farmers who produce in-house everything from bison and goat sausages to hand-made pasta and wild berry preserves. I learned about creative collaboration between vendors and chefs, and about THRIVE, The Rogue Initiative for Vital Economy that promotes this collaboration and publishes Rogue Flavor, a layman guide to fresh locally grown food (thriveoregon.org, rogueflavor.org).
It became immediately clear how an unbelievably talented 29-year-old Chef Chandra Corwin at Cucina Biazzi (cucinabiazzi.com) comes up with her antipasti di stagione, and why Larks lunch menu is simply called, From the Market.
I won’t soon forget Larks peak-of-the-season heirloom tomato salad with fresh herb vinaigrette (larksrestaurant.com).
Good restaurants are abundant in Ashland, be it a French-cuisine Chateaulin (chateaulin.com), or a casual yet deservedly famous lunch place, Allyson’s Kitchen (allysonskitchen.com).
Downtown is studded with great places to indulge in gourmet food and high quality local wine. While some compare Southern Oregon to Napa (as it used to be years ago, before the tourist boom) regional wineries, like Weisinger’s of Ashland, located just outside downtown on Siskiyou Blvd (weisingers.com), or Cowhorn Vineyards in nearby historic Jacksonville (cowhornwine.com), are fully capable of creating a tourist boom all their own.
And then there is beer (introduced by Ray Cato, Brand Manager of Caldera Brewing Company). Caldera is the first brewery in Oregon to craft and can its fresh whole flower hops beer on premises. Caldera’s 14 beers (to date), including seasonal specialties, have won 35 medals in prestigious North American and international competitions. It would be hard to pick a favorite among its ales, stouts, and lagers, but my personal best is a refreshing and delicious IPA – “an American-style India Pale Ale brewed with plenty of body and an assertive hop profile” (calderabrewing.com).
On the last day of my short but sweet visit to the perfect town, The Winchester Restaurant & Wine Bar served its trademark decadent dinner. What seemed like a quintessential taste of the season, came to the table in a white porcelain bowl, and enticed me to beg Drew Gibbs, Restaurant Manager, for a recipe. Lo and behold, my dear readers - the ultimate taste of Ashland in the Fall:
Truffle Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 4-6
2 Medium Butternut Squash
2 Cloves of Minced Garlic
1/2 Cup of White Truffle Oil
1 Chopped White Onion
1 Stalk of Celery
2 Whole Carrots
3 Cups of Mushroom Stock
3 Cups of Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon of the following spices:
Ground Mustard
Cayenne
White Pepper
Cumin
Paprika
Salt and Pepper
Oven roast quash with olive oil, salt and pepper for about 30 minutes at 450 degrees or until tender
Sautee up the onion, carrots, celery and squash with truffle oil and garlic then add spices. Add cream and stock
to cover then simmer for 15 minutes. Place everything in a blender and puree. Add any extra seasoning to taste.
For more information, visit ashlandchamber.com, southernoregon.org). Photography by Emma Krasov. Caldera beer photo courtesy of Caldera Brewing Company.