NorCalPulse Humboldt
12 Epic Picnic Spots in Humboldt County. Part 4 - Rohner Park in Fortuna
Fortuna's Janell Page of Clean Queen Meal Prep put together quite the picnic for part four of our series at beautiful Rohner Park in Fortuna. Writer Jessica Ashley Silva takes readers on a tour of the park and through a culinary journey of Page's creations that will inspire you to get your picnic basket ready to enjoy an afternoon of sunshine and delicious food.
The Place
At the north end of Southern Humboldt is a rural town with a tight-knit vibe known colloquially as the Friendly City. Fortuna sits along Highway 101 and the Eel River, 10 miles from the coast. It's inland enough for some extra warmth and coastal enough that the ocean breeze travels up the Eel to keep the city cool; a real Goldilocks situation. Just enough heat to grow some luscious tomatoes, but not quite enough to lament the lack of air conditioning in the old VIctorian homes lining Fortuna's hills and valleys. As such, summer days in the Friendly City are perfect for picnicking in the park and basking in the sunshine.
Like all small towns, Fortuna's got its own little community hub. Located just off Main Street is Rohner Park, a 55-acre city park with diverse features and facilities for families and local events. The eastern side of the park offers hiking trails through mature second growth redwoods, with a lush understory and seasonal flushes of mushrooms peeking out from under the ferns. The north side of the park is for competition – rodeo grounds, baseball fields, new basketball courts, areas for bocce ball and horseshoe pits, too. There are massive BBQ pits and recreation halls for community grubbin' when the rodeo and festivals come to town.
For the kids, the park has a couple different playgrounds, one for the big kids and one for the littles. There's an old fashioned skating rink, too! And for those kids who love trains and history, there's a little museum and gift shop, filled with artifacts from early Springville (what Fortuna used to be called) and a real life train car you can walk through – because what kid doesn't love a good train?
The most classic park features at Rohner Park are, of course, the sprawling grassy lawns and sporadic picnic tables. With trees of various sizes scattered throughout the park, shady spots are plentiful, providing a dreamy dappled light to dance across a picnic blanket. For picnic number four, we ended up exactly there – on a shady stretch of grass under a canopy of swaying green, with a healthy summer feast in a rainbow of colors set before us.
The Chef & The Food
I was the last to arrive at picnic number four. I pulled up to Rohner Park and on the grass was a blanket thoughtfully decorated with plate after plate of fresh creations. Everything was so delicately plated with aesthetics in mind, enhanced with little details of decor to set mood and intention – a crystal here, a bouquet of flowers there. Eating with your eyes first is an indulgence Chef Janell Page plays to perfectly, and seemingly effortlessly. When you check out her menu at Clean Queen Meal Prep, though, the range of beautifully constructed and fresh menu options show just how much effort she puts into her cooking.
Page, originally from Shelter Cove, lives in Fortuna with partner, Russell, and their blended family of four kids; the youngest, a little foodie named Jace, joined us for the picnic, sweetly pouring us cups of blueberry lemonade between trips to the jungle gym and playing checkers. Their family frequents Rohner Park, so they looked right at home on the shaded grass, their summer spread laid out before them. Almost as soon as your eyes catch the vibrancy of Page's food, the scent of fresh herbs and fruit steal the show.
As someone who wishes she ate more fruit, I was entranced by the stone fruit and berry salad, lightly sweetened with maple and tossed with fragrant thyme (thyme with fruit – what a revelation!). A classic Caprese salad upgraded with perfectly ripe avocado and lots of fresh fruit were refreshing additions to stay cool in the August summer. And then, the shrimp. Citrusy shrimp covered in cilantro, so tangy and yummy, a great compliment to the fresh veggie and noodle salad tossed in peanut sauce (recipe below).
It all just looks so healthy, so whole, without sacrificing the fun, deliciousness, and decadence of bold flavor – and this is the ethos that drives her business. "I like exciting and innovative flavor combos and [...making] them as visually appealing as they are scrumptious," says Page. Living in the food-rich North Coast gives her endless local options for ingredients to experiment with. She goes on to say, "That's one of my favorite parts of our menu changing every week is, it never gets old." A few swipes through her Instagram page shows the breadth of her creations, a love story written in food that's more than a little drool-worthy.
Clean Queen Meal Prep is located just off Main Street in Fortuna and is a certified gluten-free kitchen. Page offers customizable meal plans and grab-and-go options, including breakfast, lunch and dinner; soups and salads; juices and smoothies; and healthy snacks. For those who plan ahead, weekly and monthly packages are available with a price break and for those who live in the moment, popping into her store for some last minute fuel is quick and easy. As Page says, "We want to start a revolution where healthy food is just as easy to grab as the other stuff. Healthy people are busy people too!"
Find Clean Queen Meal Prep at: 758 10th Street in Sunny Fortuna (MAP).
How to Get to Rohner Park
Rohner Park is located in the heart of Fortuna. Click HERE for a map/directions.
Other Articles You May Enjoy
5 Reasons To Love Fortuna's Rohner Park
Hiking the Ossagon Trail At Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Connect With Us
Jessica is the admin of the popular Humboldt Foodies Facebook Group covering all things food in Humboldt County.
Food Photography by Jessica Ashley Silva.
Follow NorCalPulse on Facebook and Instagram. @EatHumboldt on Instagram.
Peanut Noodle Salad Recipe
Thai Peanut Sauce
1 teaspoon ginger (ground)
1 teaspoon garlic (ground)
½ cup peanut butter
⅓ cup fresh lime juice (roughly 2 limes)
¼ cup Liquid Aminos
⅓ cup honey (we suggest Collett's Humboldt Honey Clover)
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
1 ½ teaspoon sriracha
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Mix all ingredients well and set aside to toss with the salad.
Peanut Noodle Salad Recipe
6 oz whole wheat or soba noodles
4 cups mix of red cabbage, green cabbage, carrot, and radish (shredded)
1 red bell pepper (sliced)
3 green onion (sliced)
½ bunch cilantro (chopped; can sub basil and mint)
1-2 tablespoons jalapeño (minced)
¼ – ½ cup roasted peanuts (crushed; optional garnish)
¼ cup microgreens (optional garnish)
Boil and strain noodles; set aside until cool. Toss with cabbage/carrot/radish mixture, bell pepper, green onion, cilantro, and jalapeño. Add in the Thai peanut sauce and toss again until well mixed. Top with crushed peanuts and microgreens. Serve immediately.
Written by Jessica Ashley Silva for norcalpulse.com
Jessica is a technical writer living in Humboldt County, California. Her freelance writing covers the tastes and sights of California's North Coast. She's an avid foodie, forager, and explorer of forests, falls, and springs up and down the Pacific Northwest.
Comments