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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017 A Finni family recipe Astoria now has an Italian food cart Obama expands Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument Associated Press By EDWARD STRATTON The Daily Astorian In August, John Finni, his wife, Jen, and the couple’s two young children moved to Asto- ria to be near his father, Joe. It was through Finni’s fam- ily and professional history that he decided to open Finni’s Fine Foods, an Italian food cart on the west end of Astoria that opened last month. Finni’s family emigrated three generations back from northern Italy. His grandpar- ents, John and Millie, owned Finni’s Ristorante in Califor- nia’s Central Valley, where Finni said he and his family all spent time working. When he moved to Asto- ria, Finni, who had managed a Qdoba Mexican Eats restau- rant in Colorado and worked for many years in the food service industry, went to work as a server at Baked Alaska. Hosting one day, Finni said, he read a story about how his employer started small and built up over time. He started A&F Foods, a limited liabil- ity corporation partnership with a friend and former col- league from his time working for BP, Troy Anderson. Finni said Anderson, who works in Mongolia, is a silent partner, while he operates the food cart. “I’ve always wanted to start my own business,” he said, adding he takes the greatest Edward Stratton/The Daily Astorian John Finni opened Finni’s Fine Foods at the food cart pod near the Astoria Roundabout last month. pleasure in satisfied customers. “For one reason or another it just never panned out. I started looking into the aspect of it, and I was like, ‘God, I never would have thought of open- ing a food cart, to be honest with you.’” Finni said he started look- ing at local culinary options, and noticed a lack of Ital- ian restaurants. He had a cart custom-constructed in Port- land, with a full kitchen and a built-in fire suppression system. Finni describes his restau- rant as fine dining, but out of a food cart. The cart focuses on pastas, sandwiches, breads and soups. He said most of the recipes come from his fam- ily and his “Zia” (Italian for aunt), an elderly woman who worked at the family restau- rant in California for many years. The sausage he uses in his sandwiches and pasta, he said, is nicknamed “deathbed sausage” for how his grandfa- ther conveyed the recipe to his father. Finni said his grandfather, who had heartburn but was convinced he was dying of a heart attack, called his father to the hospital one day and asked for a piece of paper to write something important on. “My dad, of course, he’ll tell you, ‘God, he’s telling me where the family fortune is,’” Finni said. “And my grandfa- ther starts writing, and it’s a sausage recipe. We as a fam- ily termed it as ‘deathbed sau- sage,’ because here my grand- father thought he was on his deathbed and wanted to pass it on to the family.” Finni grinds his own sau- sage each week, and makes his own sauces, minestrone and clam chowder. “Everything is built on flavors,” said Finni, quick to give out a sample but secretive about the ingredients. Finni said he originally intended to be the first food cart at the Astoria Station next to Reach Break Brewing. But Finni said he found a better fit and more exposure in the small food cart pod at the former gas station at 490 W. Marine Drive, which has hosted long- time Mexican food truck El Asadero and some short- er-lived carts. Finni’s Fine Foods is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Satur- day, and available to travel. Wanted in Seaside: City councilor to represent Ward 1 Councilors sworn in, vacancy remains By R.J. MARX The Daily Astorian SEASIDE — There were some new seating arrange- ments at the Seaside City Council meeting this week. At the far left, former plan- ning commissioner Tom Horn- ing was the newest councilor. On the other end, a vacant council seat remained awaiting a replacement for Mayor Jay Barber, who was appointed to the city’s top spot in Decem- ber after the death of former Mayor Don Larson. City Manager Mark Win- stanley administered the oath of office Monday night to two returning councilors, Randy Frank and Seth Morrisey, and R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian City Manager Mark Winstanley swears in Tom Horning, Sean Morrisey and Randy Frank. one new one, Horning. Tita Montero, the senior member of the council, was nominated and unanimously elected council president. At his first meeting Horn- ing reiterated a goal put forth during his campaign: enhanced tsunami preparedness. “One of the things I’ve noticed since the election is that people are coming out of the woodwork from all over,” Horning said. “Everybody’s focusing very much toward tsunami preparedness and I think there’s a great oppor- tunity for Seaside to lead the rest of the Coast toward a high level of preparedness.” With an opening to fill, councilors invited residents of Ward 1 to apply for the seat formerly occupied by Barber. Barber had served two years of his four-year council term. Applicants must live in Seaside’s Ward 1 and have resided in the city for at least one year. Candidates must submit a written questionnaire and gather at least 10 support- ing signatures from Ward 1 residents. A 30-day filing deadline is expected, Winstanley said. Lower Columbia Preservation Society to debut new office space The Daily Astorian The Lower Columbia Pres- ervation Society will be host- ing an open house 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at their new office space at 389 12th St. in Astoria. The preservation soci- ety moved into the space, on the corner of 12th and Duane streets in the Hotel Elliott, in November. Their office was previously located inside their historic building, the Francis Apartments, on Franklin Ave- nue. During the open house — which coincides with Astoria’s Second Saturday Art Walk — visitors will meet board mem- bers, enjoy the new space and learn how to get involved with the preservation society. Attendees will also find out about the organization’s pres- ervation advocacy activities, including proposed changes to Astoria’s development code, and their work in advocating for thoughtful design review in the waterfront bridges project. W A NTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Photos and other docu- mentation of historic preser- vation projects completed by students at Clatsop Commu- nity College will be on dis- play, as well as information about field school scholarships that the preservation society awarded to students last sum- mer. The purpose of the Lower Columbia Preservation Soci- ety is to preserve, protect and promote the historic houses and buildings in the lower Columbia region of Oregon and Washington state. W E W IL L BE CL O SE D W ed n esd a y , J a n u a ry 4 TH u n til W ed n esd a y , J a n u a ry 25 TH Thank you to all of our wonderful customers for your support. Happy New Year! 5 75 E HARBO R S T, W ARREN TO N Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 (503) 861-5645 PLEASE ADOPT A PET! SEATTLE — The Wash- ington Supreme Court has thrown a major wrench in plans for a big oil terminal in Grays Harbor, saying the project must be reviewed under a 1989 law passed fol- lowing the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska. The justices on Thurs- day unanimously reversed a decision by the state Court of Appeals that the Ocean Resources Management Act did not apply. Westway Terminal, FULL GROOM With this coupon. New customers only. Valid through 2/28/2017 Immediate Associated Press SPOKANE, Wash. — Conservation groups say they plan to sue the state of Washington for allowing suction dredge mining in riv- ers and streams that are home to endangered salmon and steelhead. The state Department of Wildlife grants permission for the gold-mining tech- nique in rivers throughout the state. 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Conservation groups and Oregon’s Democratic U.S. senators praised the decision. “Today is a great day for southern Oregon,” U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley said in a state- ment. “The Cascade-Siski- you area, where three moun- tain ranges converge creating a unique and spectacular land- scape seen nowhere else in the world, merits the recogni- tion and expanded protection that President Obama gave it today. I deeply appreciate the time and energy of the many Oregonians who came to public meetings and sub- mitted comments on this pro- posal. Their thoughtful input helped to inform the presi- dent’s final decision on both the expansion and its bound- aries, and I will continue to press to ensure that their voices are heard as a man- agement plan for the new monument area is formed.” U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said the monument “pos- sesses an unrivaled beauty, with natural wonders in every corner and a spectac- ular landscape that hosts not just diverse ecosystems but recreation opportunities known around the world. That’s why I have worked for years to protect this Ore- gon treasure and its irre- placeable qualities.” Oregon Public Broad- casting says detractors have expressed concern that a larger monument would hurt the region’s economy with limits on logging and graz- ing. The Oregon Cattle- man’s Association said in a news release that the deci- sion will have a rippling effect on ranchers, farmers and outdoor enthusiasts. 15 $ (includes lunch) Golden Star Restaurant 599 Bond Street Open to all Rental Home Owners
