Supplies and Restaurants headed To/From Toorcamp

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With Toorcamp just over a week away, I thought I’d share some points of
interest along your probable routes to the ferry.

If you choose, you can get to Highway 20 by way of a scenic detour that
goes through Conway and past LaConner. If you take this route, you’ll
skip everything else on the list before Anacortes, but you have two
stopping points on the way:

Snowgoose (https://www.snowgooseproducemarket.com/) has fresh produce,
baked goods, fresh raw seafood, and an assortment of pickles, sauces,
cheeses, etc. Everything you would need for a picnic (including wine and
beer) including baskets. Oh, and insanely large ice cream cones.
Seriously. A single scoop probably exceeds your healthy caloric intake
for the day.

Hedlin’s Family Farm (https://www.hedlinfarms.com/) is at the roundabout
at the entrance to LaConner. Produce (and again, breads, cheeses,
spices, meats, etc). One key thing (for those coming from regions with
longer growing seasons this may be surprising), they are the only place
that will have locally grown tomato flavored tomatoes this time of year.
Seriously, they have hoop houses and have it down to a science. You want
fresh tomatoes to take with you, this is pretty much the only local
spot.

From Hedlin, you just take the exit from the roundabout headed North,
and it will go straight into Highway 20, and you are back on your way to
the ferry.

If you don’t detour out at Conway, you’ll next have the option to stop
in Mt. Vernon.

Dorothea (https://dorotheacoffee.com/) is a micro-roaster. I have been
told, by those who know such things, that their beans are outstanding,
especially if you prefer lighter roasts. And for those (like me) who
don’t drink coffee, while they don’t sell loose leaf tea, they are the
only place in the North Sound where you can reliably get brewed quality
Chinese tea.

Skagit Valley Larder (https://www.skagitvalleylarder.com/) is across the
street from Dorothea, and a source for wine and high end cheeses, meats,
butter, and assorted ingredients. If you have time, they also have
seating and various dining options.

On Highway 20, just west of the I-5 interchange, is Skagit’s Own Fish
Market (https://www.skagitfish.com/). They have fresh fish, a variety of
gourmet ingredients, and they also have a little restaurant which does
some truly outstanding pan-fried oysters. This time of year, you may
also be able to get locally caught and already cooked shrimp.

(If you have time, either coming or going, you can also detour up to Bow
and go to Samish Bay Cheese (https://samishbay.com/), which features
their own cheeses, meats, and again, wines, teas, and gourmet
ingredients. Try the Aged Ladysmith, trust me on this one.)

Finally, in the old commercial district in Anacortes, there is Mama Wing
(https://www.mamawingwa.com/), which is the only good Chinese food I’ve
found north of Lynnwood and south of Canada. Their Dim Sum is actually
legitimately good (and not just “good for around here”).

--Dave