By: Cheri Browne | June 18 2011
Posted in Rogue Valley - Find It - Rogue Valley

Picnic basket by Jacksonville Mercantile. Photo by: Cheri Browne

It’s finally that time of year! Let’s dig out our neglected picnic baskets, dust them off, and pack them full of local treats to share! The sun is warming the Rogue Valley and the music of the Britt festival is echoing off the rolling hills, so a day (or evening) trip to historic Jacksonville is topping the list of things to do.

Packing your picnic basket can be as fun and satisfying as consuming the contents, especially when you have a store like Jacksonville Mercantile to stop into. According to well-known proprietors, David and Constance Jesser, they have everything from “savory to sweet to liquid to salad.” They are not lacking in any picnic basket essential. Unbreakable wine glasses, portable cutting boards, wine and beer chiller caddies, and gourmet local and imported delicacies, such as Boar’s Sausage and Rose Jam, fill the shelves.

Some easy pairings for these exotic items would be a Triple Cream Cheese or Truffle Pate for the Rose Jam, or for a sweeter taste, pair it with a Lemon Vanilla wine wafer and crème fraiche. The Boar’s Sausage is excellent with a local Peach Chipotle sauce or a Dijon mustard, paired with Cricket Hill’s En Chante, or Red Lily, another local favorite. Add in some Deux Chats crackers, and some Oregon Blue cheese from the Rogue Creamery, and your picnic feast is nearly ready. If you’re pressed for time, you can even call ahead to have a basket ready-to-go.

If you’re there on a Saturday, walk down to the Jacksonville Farmers Market for some local produce to freshen up your basket. A handful of just-off-the-vine cherry tomatoes or local pears add a light, flavorful zest that rounds out a warm day in the park.

Farmhouse Treasures Fudge. Photo by: Cheri Browne

When you start thinking about how to satisfy your sweet tooth, stop by Farmhouse Treasures for homemade fudge. Made daily, they have a variety of flavors to chose from, including the iconic peanut butter chocolate, rocky road, and maple pecan. Try a bottle of Troon or Valley View Port to pair with it, also available at Jacksonville Mercantile.

With all these local favorites right at your fingertips, all you need after making these essential stops is a soft blanket and your sunglasses!

Jacksonville Mercantile

120 East California St

Jacksonville, OR 97530

(541) 899-1047

Farmhouse Treasures

120 West California St

Jacksonville, OR 97530

(541) 899-8614

Jacksonville Farmers Market

“C” St next to Jacksonville Courthouse Museum

Jacksonville, OR

Saturdays May-October 9am-noon

Britt Picnic Basket—Basket put together by Jacksonville Mercantile

Britt Picnic Fudge—Fudge made by Farmhouse Treasures

Cheri Browne is a writer, photographer, reveler of Southern Oregon and an enamored connoisseur of all things West Coast.

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