Whenever I travel I'm often asked where I'm from, and in the past ten years, that has usually been Montana. I've been asked if we have DSL or box stores, cable television or movie theatres. When I was on holiday in Scotland I had someone ask if there were still cowboys and Indians like in the old movies. Sorry to disappoint, but it's most definitely not like the old covered wagon days - more's the pity. We have more conveniences up here in the northwest of Montana than I've had in larger and more populated places. I would have enjoyed seeing this land during the days of general stores and cowboys with spurs, but before I wax too nostalgic on what this part of the country has lost, let me mention something we have in abundance and which is apparently uniquely our own, sort of.
One might think I'm uninformed when I say that Montana huckleberries aren't like any other huckleberries to be found...anywhere. Every year when huckleberry season comes around, floods of adventurous people trudge out to where the wild huckleberries grow and spend hours picking away at the bushes and occasionally meeting up with other locals who enjoy the sweet and heady fruit. One may also wonder if it's worth it. Stained clothes, stained hands, pricks from the bushes, and hours baking in the heat - you bet it is. It's even a misdemeanor in this state now to 'disguise' any other type of blueberry or huckleberry as a Montana huckleberry - so what's the difference? Honestly they just taste differently - the flavor is deeper, more earthy (at least to this author). Huckleberries aren't rare - they grow all over in different regions and climates so perhaps it's simply something in Montana's soil or air that creates such a unique type of this ubiquitous fruit. We have shops, such as the Huckleberry Patch in Bigfork, MT, dedicated to this little bit of sweetness. Previously featured in USA Today, The Huckleberry Patch sells more than 40 huckleberry pies per day, so there must be something right about all of the hype.
Feeling the need to discover what is so much better about Montana huckleberries than ordinary blueberries, then it's worth a try. Just use the Montana huckleberries, if you can get your hands on some, in any recipe which calls for blueberries. It will bring a deeper and more robust flavor to whatever you're making. Just remember not to go overboard - too much of a good thing can be too much. If you can get a hold of some, then buy extra and store away during the off-seasons. Huckleberry season doesn't last long, so get yours while you can!
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| Braeburn Apple and Wild Huckleberry Cobbler - San Diego Convention Center |
Below are links to recipes you may find interesting to try at home.
