Few things anchor a moment in our memories quite like a shared meal. Cooking with family or gathering around the table for a special occasion often becomes the kind of experience we return to years later—triggered by a familiar scent or the first bite of a favorite dish.
At Beachcomber, our matriarch of memory-making is Cara Olson, beloved mother of owner Brian Olson. Cara, a self-described “Navy Brat,” traveled the world with her family but always had a string tethering her heart to the Pacific Northwest.
In her travels, she learned that one of the best ways to understand a new place—and the people who call it home—was through food. That curiosity evolved into a lifelong love of cooking, collecting, and sharing recipes with the people around her.
An avid volunteer from Astoria to Seaside, Cara lent her culinary talents to organizations throughout the community, including the Girl Scouts and the Seaside Jazz Festival. Her collection of recipes, Cara’s Favorites, is shared here so you, too, can enjoy her gifts. It is our sincerest hope that as you visit this place that means so much to her, you’ll feel inspired to bring a bit of her legacy into your family’s travels.
Cook up a Cara classic and enjoy making a memory with your family that you’ll cherish forever.
