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    Delaware Delicacies Smoke House

    4.7 (39 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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    Richie and Ray
    Rich M.

    Great cold smoke salmon, smoked boneless trout was also very good. I thought his hit smoked salmon was a bit too much on the seasonings. But still not bad. I will go back. He is very entertaining character.

    Elizabeth and her pets

    It's been many years since I tasted Ray's smoked delicacies and I may not get back there in this lifetime to savor his shrimp, eels, salmon and other tasty treats. But, Ray and I have boyhood connections that hole off a significant and touching part of my heart and who's soul resident is Ray Turner. I've known Ray Turner and his twin brother Bruce going back into the late 50s and on through the 70s. Seems that I and my two brothers (Dave & Steve) and Ray and Bruce spent considerable time out doing what young men do in a rural community like Hancock, NY. After Bruce died in a tragic accident and I moved away to my first job in far West NY, Ray and I didn't see much of each other. The last time I saw Ray was in 2004. He came walking up to the funeral home in suburban Sacramento, CA where my brother Dave's funeral was held. I was astonished! Ray had gotten on a Red Eye flight somewhere in NY very early in the morning flown to Sacramento and by that after noon was on a flight back to Upstate NY. When I asked what he was doin there, he said in his own casual style: "You were there for my brother." Before he left that day he tossed a few small, smooth, rocks he brought from his river, where all of us boys had fished in younger times, into Dave's grave. Ray will always be my friend. We live in Oklahoma.

    To the eels...
    Jessica F.

    There is no way to review this place, which is really more a review of a man than a business. Ray Turner has been catching eels in a handmade eel weir on the Delaware river for close to 30 years, and has built, along with the weir, his log and stone home, his smokehouse ("casa di fumo", LOL!!), his reputation as iconoclast and naturalist, and a persona so real, so original and so moving that visiting this place is not just a treat, but should be considered a moral obligation. Trained as an engineer, he turned his back on the rat race after a stint in the army, built a cabin on the Delaware just south of Hancock, NY, stopped shaving or cutting his hair, and began catching eels-- "nature's perfect protein"-- and smoking them, along with shrimp the size of hamsters, quail, cornish hens, sides of bacon and trout. The small retail shop also sells a wide range of Pennsylvania Dutch style jams, jellies and pickles that aren't half bad. The drive to his home defies directions, nestled in a little clearing on the actual banks of the river, which takes two miles of barely-paved road and then another two on a dirt road to get there. Handpainted signs that simply say "eel" point the way to a visionary's utopia. Peter and I swung by there on our way out of Hancock, heading back to NYC by way of Route 17. The first sign is right by the turnoff, and I had been telling Peter about him for about thirty miles, so we figured it was meant to be. Ray "liked the cut of our jib" and could tell we were "you know, those kind of folks", and actually allowed us into the butchery where he fished (pun intended) a live eel out of a tank and proceeded to skin and chop it up. When I asked him how to cook it, he said basically, to dump some barbecue sauce on it and let it soak for however long I wanted, and then "cook it 'til it was done". He told me to remember to put half a lemon in there, too, because "fish and lemon go together like...you know...peas and carrots. Take your lemon, stick a fork in it, you know, and then, kind of mop your sauce on the fish when you're cookin' it.". He talked about trees. He talked about his love for the river, and how hard he worked to restore some of the decimated banks from years of erosion and plant removal by previous owners. He talked lovingly of eels, of their unique qualities, their taste, how well they keep, and their protein analysis. Listening to him talk was something I could have done all day. He also sold us a pound of the biggest shrimp I have ever seen, and two brand new trout, fished that morning, that were as shimmering and beautiful as opals. He gutted and scaled them, but, wanting to put my new filleting skills to the test, left them whole. Walls in the small retail area are covered with articles about him, including one from a 2003 Gourmet Magazine profile by Jane and Michael Stern, and a recent (2006) NY Times profile. While he wrapped up our eel he told us about filming a PBS documentary in the middle of winter as he built the eel weir, with the director and camera people in the middle of the river, with him. There is simply nothing like this place, and there is nobody like Ray. He lives his life doing just what he wants, answering to nobody, caretaking natural resources and speaking his mind. When we left, I shook his hand and said "God bless you", and I'm an atheist. His is a happiness that comes from genuine love of life, and an inspiring one.

    Sign outside the Smoke House
    Rouge R.

    My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place via reviews on yelp since we were in the area skiing, and boy were we happy we made this detour to check out this place. The owner, Ray Turner, is a rare breed. This exceedingly insightful, curious, and outspoken man doesn't give two hoots if you like him or not, and quite frankly that is his appeal. While he was out of his famous eel, he explained the process for him catching it, smoking it, and preparing it, and ensured that we didn't leave empty handled; we got two different types of smoked fish, smoked cheese, shrimps, maple syrup, and pickled sauerkraut before calling it a day. This place, whether you get to try the eel or not is such an experience! Both unique, and picturesque, it is a MUST visit when in the area!

    Delaware delicacies

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Fantastic, smoked trout and Gouda cheese. Been looking to find him for 20 years finally found it.

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    4 years ago

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    19 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Keep driving down the road. A trip to Mr. Turner's is a visit to generations of smoke and cold water succulence.

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Quite a bit away from the beaten path, but always worth the trip out to get hot or cold smoked salmon!

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    6 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    7 years ago

    It is definitely a destination to visit. Everything about the place is perfect and Ray's comfortable personality makes it even a better.

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    10 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Best Smoked Salmon, Cheese, Shrimp, Eel You will ever find anywhere!

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    16 years ago

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    17 years ago

    Best smoked salmon, anywhere. Also best smoked eels, hens, chickens, cheese, best smoked many things. Ray is a true gourmet.

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    14 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Delaware Delicacies Smoke House

    I have ordered smoked eels from mr. turners smokehouse and loved them. for months i have called his business number but have not received a call back. is ray turner sick or went out of business? i sure miss his smoked fish. who can give me the answer

    Went in today. He's there, just doesn't answer the phone anymore :)

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - Delaware Delicacies Smoke House

    I was a little disappointed that he was out of eel but he gave me the heads up when I called him two days before.

    Mentioned in 10 reviews

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    Freedom Farms - My dog waiting for us to feed her dinner

    Freedom Farms

    3.9(34 reviews)
    42.0 mi

    Best filets we've ever bought and I would say ever eaten. My wife can't eat home cooked filets if…read morethey're not fro freedom farms-she's now spoiled and I am too.

    I used to suffer from terrible gastrointestinal issues, and after years of trying to figure out the…read morecause, I decided to switch where I was sourcing my meat. I stopped buying meat from grocery stores like Whole Foods and started ordering from Freedom Farms -- and my stomach has never been better. Even my husband, who is extremely skeptical about this kind of thing, noticed a difference almost immediately. The first time we ordered from Freedom Farms, we let our supply run out before placing our next order (big mistake!). We had to grab "organic, grass-fed" meat from the store as a backup, and within a day, both my husband and I were violently sick -- and so was our dog. She had diarrhea, and we had it coming out of both ends (TMI, but it matters). That's when it fully clicked: we need to be buying straight from the farm. We now exclusively feed our dog food we cook ourselves, using Freedom Farms meat. We use the bones for bone broth and add the hearts and livers into her meals. Our vet has literally told us she is the epitome of health. Since switching, my own blood work has also improved across the board -- all my levels are better. I truly believe a lot of store-bought meat is falsely advertised, even when it claims to be grass-fed or organic. Looking back, I think I was constantly inflamed from consuming poor-quality meat. The taste difference is undeniable too -- whenever I eat out or have meat from a store in a pinch, it genuinely tastes and feels like rubber to me. Thankfully, that almost never happens anymore because we make sure to order well ahead of time. Beyond the quality, I love everything this company stands for -- transparency, integrity, American farming, and education. The fact that you can even visit their farm says everything. I've seen some negative reviews, and honestly, I can't believe them. Freedom Farms has truly changed my life, and my dog has never been happier. Thank you, Freedom Farms, for doing things the right way. You've made a real, measurable difference in our health and our lives.

    Photos
    Freedom Farms - Our llama saying hello to the beautiful Hereford cows up there in NY state!

    Our llama saying hello to the beautiful Hereford cows up there in NY state!

    Freedom Farms
    Freedom Farms

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    Delaware Delicacies Smoke House - seafoodmarkets - Updated June 2026

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