Over the mountains - Owens Meats, Cle Elum

[ecowper]

We travel over the mountains in Washington frequently. We have family in the Methow Valley and our kids have gone to school in Eastern WA and Idaho. Given that, we probably go over Snoqualmie Pass 8-10 times a year. And when we do, we stop in Cle Elum just on the other side of the Pass. Restroom break, get some snacks AND a stop at Owens Meats. They are even better than my local guys, Shawn’s and Fischer’s.

This last time I got 4 lbs of bratwurst, 2 NY strips and 2 ribeyes on my back from a trip to Leavenworth. Side note, Leavenworth is a town in the mountains that has transformed itself into a Bavarian village. We were there for my wife’s BFF’s 50th birthday.

Snow storms over the Pass started last Thursday, Dec 9th, and haven’t stopped


The town of Leavenworth


Owens Meats


Yes, they have a meat vending machine!


The counter is amazing

Getting ready for dinner last night


Cooking the steaks - ended up reserving 1 NY strip cause daughter didn’t get home in time

[swartzster]

We stop at Owens every trip over the pass as well. The bakery across the street, too

[bbqLuv]

Leavenworth, what a nice town. Found a bar and grill where the locals go called the PO--The Post Office.
My wife and I walked the trail on Black Bird Island, and we had a few deer walk on by.

[swartzster]

I was at Owen’s yesterday. Great place

[ecowper]

Nice! If I didn’t have Shawn’s right here in Maple Valley, I’d make the trek to Owen’s to stock up.

[Bkhuna]

Great place. One day when retire we want to drive around that part of the country.

[yakima]

Templeman's Market in Kennewick is similar to Owens, but not as many sauces, etc.
In Union Gap, next to Yakima, is a true cultural experience. Los Juanes is a wholesale/retail meat market/butcher, some vegetables, with a nearly statewide delivery area to Hispanic markets. At least one of the workers typically has enough English to deal with my complete lack of Spanish. Once I asked for a goat shoulder/shank. He disappeared into their freezer, came back with one, which he sawed up into about 1,5 inch chunks. I was gesturing with my fingers re width.

Also, in Yakima, is Ray's Meats. They have separately owned retail and wholesale sides. Purchased a suckling pig, 34 lbs, from the wholesale side awhile back. The wholesale side is big. They provision our subs at Bangor near Bremerton, and do enough business in Taiwan to put on trade shows there.

Snake River Farms has a slaughter/processing plant in Toppenish, Washington Beef, which supplies many local retailers. They run American Wagyu thru the plant on Saturdays.

Re seafood, Lytle Seafoods of Hoquiam, WA, sets up on Saturdays and Sundays. Just went thru bag of 60 oysters in the shell, $50.

Farm fresh eggs, $4/dozen. Honor system. Refrigerator on her porch, take what you want, leave $ in jar in frig.

Darigold plant in Sunnyside. Their 2% is far superior to generic grocery milk.

Lots of choices; never mail order meat. Very fortunate.

I got carried away here; just started out to mention Templeman's.

[yakima]

And I did not mention Fruit City or Yakima farmer's mkt, or Ellensburg's!

[ecowper]

I love the Yakima Farmer's Market when I'm on your side of the mountains. Ours in Maple Valley is decent, but nowhere near the level of Yakima.

[yakima]

As of last season, Yakima moved into nice covered but open new quarters. We think Ellensburg's is nice too, typically on par with or better than Yakima's.

[JoeSousa]

Will have to give them a shot the next time I am coming home from Seattle.

[ecowper]

JoeSousa whenever we are traveling on 90, we always stop in Cle Elum at the bakery and Owen’s