Bozeman Co-op

      My good friend Kim and I were just talking about the Bozeman co-op (over some tasty local beers, I might add) so I thought it would be a great time to add it to my list of Montana grocery stores that strive to bring local foods their customers.

If every sizable town in Montana had something like the co-op in Bozeman, Montanans would never have to shop anywhere else.  With its roots going back to 1979, the co-op today consists of two stores specializing in local and organic produce, meats and just about any other item you can think of.  It’s the largest co-op in Montana with 15,000 members. (Bozeman’s population is only 38,000, people! Chew on that for a moment.)  But you don’t have to be a member to shop there.  Their website is a fabulous way to check out the co-op if you can’t get there right away.  It features daily recipes and local items that can be found within the co-op separating them by local produce, within 100 miles of the store and regional items, found within 101-300 miles. 

West Main location (original)

908 West Main St.

587-4039

Downtown

44 E. Main

922-2667

www.bozo.coop.com

Country Pasta

Nothing is quite as satisfying on a cold wet fall day as a big steaming bowl of noodles. My choice to satiate my most recent craving was a simple combination of melted butter, good Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon and the fabulous egg noodles from Polson’s Country Pasta.  Not only is it quite tasty but this is locally made pasta you can really feel good about.

                                             

Dean and Linda Knutson started their pasta making operation in 1990 on their land in Polson.  100% durum semolina from Montana and other nearby states, fresh eggs, mountain water and sea salt are all that goes into their product.  The size of the operation, 2.5 million pounds of pasta each year, may not allow for only Montana-made ingredients but they try to use local vegetables and meats when possible.  And I really appreciate the fact that they employ 25 local people. 

My local foodie heart beat a little faster when I learned of Country Pasta’s exciting new venture, an organic line of pasta which will use organic locally sourced semolina from Great Falls.   When asked why they work so hard, Heather Knutson answered, “Providing jobs and offering people high quality food products to enjoy.  Eating is more than just sustaining our bodies, it is about relationships, entertainment, and happiness…and we love sharing the good food we produce right here in Montana”. 

Pick up a bag of Country Pasta’s locally made regular egg noodles or wide egg noodles in Missoula at the Good Food Store and Orange Street Food Farm, the Bozeman Co-op or the Real Food Store in Helena.  And check out their website, www.countrypasta.com for recipes, online orders and instructions on how to get your local grocery store to carry their pasta. 

The Good Food Store

No matter how much you want to eat local, you still have to have a way to buy local foods.  I would love to drive from farm to farm gathering up all the yummy goodness each place has to offer but that’s just not feasible.  That’s why it’s important that we have stores that strive to sell food that is locally raised.  I’m sure it’s not easy to keep your shelves perpetually stocked, make a profit and sell local when at all possible. So I’ve decided to start profiling some of those stores that I’d like to say a big “Thank You!” to for helping us, the eaters, support local farmers.  I’d always love to hear from anyone that has a store they’d like to add to the list.

The Good Food Store –  Missoula

 If you’ve read even a few posts of my blog, you’ve heard me reference the GFS many times.  You can find me strolling its aisles several times a week. Some people go window shopping in the mall, I go shelf shopping in the GFS.  Here the local foodie can find melons from Dixon, tomatoes from Kalispell, flour from Three Forks, beef from Missoula, tamales from Manhattan, pasta from Polson, wine from Columbia Falls and hummus from Bozeman.  Local foods are well marked and the employees are knowledge, friendly and always willing to answer any local food related questions you may have (see Nowledge is Power post).  Their local food fair held every year in the fall is a “can’t miss” event highlighting local farmers and food.

      1600 S 3^rd St. W

       541-3663

        www.goodfoodstore.com

New Kid in Town

I recently found out that Natural Grocers is coming to town. After a few minutes of research online, I found out that Natural Grocers is a subsidiary of Vitamin Cottage with headquarters in Denver.  They sell pre-made meals, and specialize in organic, healthy foods.  A store in Helena is also in the works. 

I’m sure some people are very excited about a new grocery store coming to town but I’m feeling some trepidation about it.  It remains to be seen how many local food choices they will offer but to me, the bottom line is that the company is not local.  I’ll continue to shop at my true local grocers, the Good Food Store, for the bulk of my food items.  That way I know my food dollars are not only supporting local farmers and food producers but also local employees and employers.  My money will remain in the Missoula economy, not go back to some unknown executives in Denver. 

I’m sure you will find me in the aisles of Natural Grocers within days of opening just like many other Missoulians.  I can’t help but check things out.  If I find products there that I like, I may return occasionally.  And if they do, hopefully, place local products on their shelves, that “occasionally” may turn into “somewhat frequently” but they can never replace the almost total local experience I can get at the Good Foods Store. 

Scotty's Table

I find it very difficult every Saturday after hitting the farmer's market to just walk on by Scotty's Table restaurant without stopping for lunch.  After all, the farmer's market and the restaurant are a perfect combination since Scotty's strives to use local food whenever possible.  The majority of their beef, lamb and pork come from local ranchers and farmers.  Their delightful breads are delivered by bicycle from Bernice's Bakery and Le Petit Outre and they use quite a bit of produce from local farmers. 

Some of the locals they partake of include Clark Fork Organics, Blue Willow Farms, Mannix Brothers Ranch and Montana Natural Lamb to name a few.  They also offer a selection of local wines and beers to round out any meal.

It's easy to say I love Scotty's Table for the commitment to using local but I really go there because everything is just so darn tasty.  I recommend their burger for lunch. Simple yet tender and flavorful.  Or choose from the wide selection of their unique salads. Personally, I hope to make it there before the mole quesadilla is gone from the menu. 

If you are looking for a romantic dinner, Scotty's also fits the bill.  The atmosphere is warm and cozy and the rib-eye with grilled tomatoes and chimichurri will win over anyone's heart.  For more of the menu, which changes (a good sign that the restaurant is using local seasonal ingredients), check out their website at www.scottystable.com. 

Scotty's Table is located under the Higgins Avenue bridge in the basement of the historic Wilma Theater in Missoula.

Farmer's Market Pasta

I envy those chefs on TV when they talk about going to the Farmer's Market, picking out what looks good and then just throwing a bunch of ingredients together at home to create this fabulous meal. I'm a strict "follow the recipe" kind of gal myself. So I was quite pleased with my budding culinary prowess when I did just that with this pasta dish. 

Ok, so I may be fibbing just a titch.  I kind of sort of borrowed the basic premise from Betty Crocker but only sort of.  If I can do it, you can, too. And as I always say, if the ingredients are local, fresh and tasty it's really hard to mess up anything you try. 

To try the recipe, go to the Recipe page on my blog.

"Nowledge" is Power

I have always loved the boneless skinless chicken breasts that the Good Foods store sells.  They not only look pretty, all pink, bright and glossy, but they taste far superior to that funky tasting crap Tyson puts out that you can buy for a song at Wal-Mart. I have been happily buying my Good Foods chicken whenever I feel the urge for poultry and naively went on my way thinking I was buying locally raised fowl.  After all, it is right next to the Montana raised steaks and pork tenderloins. 

So you can imagine my dismay when I actually bothered to read the label and realized that the chicken is not only not from Montana but, horror of horrors, NEBRASKA!  I’m from Oklahoma and being the good Okie that I am, I was raised to believe nothing good comes out of Nebraska.  Here’s one of my favorite Nebraska jokes: What does the “N” stand for on the helmets of University of Nebraska football players?  Answer: Nowledge. 

The new me, who’s trying to eat more local foods, wondered why it is that people can raise chickens in their backyards here in Montana but I can’t find locally raised chicken in my favorite grocery store. So I decided to ask.  (As a side note, you can buy a locally raised chicken from Choteau or St. Ignatius at Good Foods but it’s the entire bird.  No neatly broken down parts.)   

According to the very nice gentleman behind the meat counter at Good Foods with the very nice Australian accent, there is no chicken manufacturing here in Montana. It seems that no one has really made a serious effort to try and get an operation set up and if someone did, there probably wouldn’t be enough chickens raised locally to supply the buyers.  I had no idea.  He agreed that it was an interesting situation and I assumed that with all the knowledge he had to give he had this question before.  

So the moral of this story is threefold.  One, always read the labels and make sure what you’re buying is local. Two, if you want to see some changes in your local food supply, ask questions, contact your local grocery store, research local small scale chicken farmers.  Maybe you can be the one to change the system.  The third and most important, don’t sweat the stuff you can’t immediately change.  I’ll continue to buy those cornhuskers’ chickens without any guilt knowing that it’s the best I can do right now.  Remember, any small effort you make toward supporting local foods can in turn have a profound impact on our local economy and your long-term health. 

Nebraska. Of all places. 

Seniorita's Specialty Foods

When I first began to consider eating a predominately local diet I thought I would have to give up the convenience of quick low-effort meals so I am always happy when I discover foods that break that misconception. I am finding that there are Montanans out there that have taken the time to perfect and distribute ready-to-eat (or at least ready to heat up) foods that are not only very tasty but also use local ingredients when available.  One such example is Senoritas Specialty Foods in Manhattan.

Vickie Perkins started Senoritas in 1989 by selling fresh salsas at the Bozeman Farmer’s Market. They now make 24 products from their flagship salsas to bean dip to, my reason for this particular post, their tantalizing tamales.  I came across the tamales in the frozen food section of the Good Foods store when I was looking for a quick dinner one night.  What I found was a delicious meal that required very little preparation and one that I could feel good about buying in my quest to eat local. 

As I corresponded with Peter from Senoritas, I was delighted to discover a company that shares my passions about promoting local food, not simply to promote themselves but to promote as many local growers and producers as possible. Senoritas proudly uses Lifeline Produce and Lifeline Dairy, Spencer Valley Eggs, Wheat Montana, Trevino’s Tortillas, Meat Montana, Fisher Spices of Bozeman, Bozeman organics and products from the Western Montana Growers Co-op in their products. I’ve got a wealth of blog topics just from this list! 

When explaining the reasons for buying local, Peter says “the drive and enthusiasm comes from, ‘Why are we only able to buy food from out of the state and/or out of the country? Why are our best agriculture/ livestock products all being shipped out of Montana?’ Let’s think what we can do locally to help our citizens right here in Montana.”  I couldn’t agree more, Peter.

It sounds like Senoritas has hit on one of the main reasons I choose to eat local in that the ingredients are fresher and you aren’t consuming unknown mystery ingredients large “foreign” companies use to keep foods preserved over time and distance.  You may pay a little more for a package of two of Senoritas fabulous tamales than the 24 pack of Jose Ole’s frozen taquitos at Albertsons but the health and taste rewards are so much greater.  Ok, I confess, I really did buy Jose Ole’s but it was only for a comparison taste test. To sum up the results, all I’ll say is that I easily recognized the food within a Senorita’s tamale.  I don’t know what the hell you call what was in those taquitos.  I love Peter’s saying “pay a little more today for healthier food and pay a lot less later for health care”.  The ex-sorority girl in me is dying to put that on a T-shirt!

Visit http://www.senioritasspecialtyfoods.com/ for a complete list of products and where you can find them including farmer’s markets.  Steam up a pair tonight for a quick delicious meal that actually makes you feel good about “convenience foods”.

O Woe is Meat

As I walked passed a woman in front of the Lifeline Farm’s stand last Saturday at the Farmer’s Market, I heard her say, “I can’t afford to eat quality meat”.  It’s hard not to agree with her.  The meat that I feel good about eating can be very expensive.  So I did some research and gathered some facts and I am now able to share some good reasons to spend a little more to eat high quality (which often equates to “local” meat). 

The first is nutrition.  The fact is that when we eat an animal we are also eating what that animal ate.  If a cow has spent the majority of it’s life in a CAFO or Concentrated Animal Food Operation or in simpler terms, a feedlot, that cow has been pumped with antibiotics to keep it healthy in incredibly cramped quarters, it has eaten off the ground which is covered in feces and it has often been fed an unnatural diet heavy in grains which makes the animal grow bigger faster.  Meat from cows, chickens, pigs and lambs that are raised on a diet of grass has a much higher level of vitamins, antioxidants and healthier fats such as omega-3s which is then passed on to you when you consume aforementioned meat. Proof is often in the color.  For instance, the high level of beta-carotene from fresh grass can be witnessed in the bright orange yolks of the eggs laid by grass-fed chickens.  



Can you tell which one is from Jerome at the Farmer's Market and which one is from Target?
(Hopefully you can because I just realized this picture is terrible!)



The second is taste.  That $2.50 per pound chicken at the big grocery stores may be cheap but frankly, it tastes funky.  Mass-produced beef really just acts as a filler in recipes whereas a locally raised steak only needs a little salt and pepper to help it shine. It’s hard to describe this with words.  Challenge yourself to a taste test sometime so you can taste the difference yourself.

So now that you know some reasons why you should buy local meat, how do you manage it?  I've found that the best way to add high quality expensive local meat to our diet is to eat less of it. I'm no nutritionist but I know that we Homo sapiens simply don’t need as much meat as we currently consume. It doesn’t always have to be the star of the dinner plate.  When I plan my meals, I try to stick to a mainly vegetarian diet with about three or four meals a week that use meat.  And I confess, that meat sometimes consists of decadent bacon or sausage, highly flavorful ingredients that I don’t need of great deal of to have a tasty meal.  Also, try making meat one small ingredient in a multi-ingredient dish.  Check out my recipe on the Recipe page for Steak and Potato Salad, a great example of meat adding just one of the many mouth-watering flavors in a meal.

For great resources on finding locally raised, grass fed meat visit www.eatwild.com or www.localharvest.org.

Season of My Content

O Happy Day! It's Farmers Market season!  Last week a plethora of towns around our great state opened their gates to this season's markets giving all us winter-weary local food loving Montanans a much needed taste of fresh produce.  I know what you're saying. Yes, there's not an abundance of fresh food yet this time of year but look closely and you can always find something.  Since the markets are slower this a great time to spend a little one-on-one with the vendors.  If you don't know how to prepare something, ask.  I've received great advice about how to use an unrecognized vegetable or how to preserve those thirty poblanos I couldn't resist buying but can't possibly eat in one summer. 

Everyone has their favorite market but I have to say you can always find me at the Clark Fork River Market on Saturday mornings under the Higgins Avenue Bridge.  The selection here is staggering and since you can find baked goods, meat, cheese and eggs you don't have to wait for the growing season to kick in to start savoring our fabulous local flavors. You don't need a wad of cash when you get there. Last year I discovered that you can use your credit or debit card to buy tokens which can then be used at each vendor.  The tokens are good all year (and I think year after year) so you don't have to carefully plan how much money you'll spend each visit. Vendors even accept WIC vouchers and senior nutrition vouchers encouraging everyone to each locally and eat healthy.

The market also host live music and plenty of food carts.  You simply must try the crepes! To find out more about the market, visit www.clarkforkrivermarket.com for the musical acts that will be playing each week, special events, a list of vendors and recipes posted by several vendors featuring their products as the main ingredient.

Hope to see you at the market! Just don't get in front of me at the heirloom tomato stand.  Things could get ugly.

This Is Too Easy

While recently doing research on a local farm, I came across the website www.eatwellguide.org.  This free online database helps you to find "local, sustainable, and organic food" in your own town or in an area you'll be traveling to.  The site lists family farms, grocery stores, restaurants and CSA's to help you in your effort to support local food.  It has a nifty travel guide and also a seasonal food guide that tells you what foods are in season in your area each month. Of course, nothing was listed for this time of year in Montana but soon, very soon! You can also become a member of the site and enjoy members-only benefits.  I'm not sure what those are yet but I'll look into it and let you know soon. In the meantime, check out this great site or use the link on my blog to start finding all things local.

A Perfect Example

While sitting at the counter at Biga Pizza the other night, stuffing our faces with our two favorite selections on their menu, Flathead Cherry and Sweet Potato Bacon, we were told a lovely tale by one of the chefs.  My question to him came about because this is April and Flathead cherries are in season during the summer months.  I was in awe of how, almost a year after the very cherries I was gorging on were picked from the tree, they could possibly taste so good.  His answer made me smile and think what a perfect example it is of local farmers, food producers and chefs work together to bring us Montanans this plate of pure bliss.  Here's how it works. 

Biga buys Flathead cherries from the growers late in the season and stores them in a seriously deep freeze at their friends' store, Big Dipper Ice Cream.  Then when they are ready to use the cherries, they make a chutney out of them which results in an almost candy-like concoction.  Mix that with a little sausage, gouda and Biga's tasty crust and you have one mighty fine pizza.  It all works so perfectly because the cherry growers are able to sell (and not waste) the remainder of their crops when the market for fresh cherries is winding down, Biga sells Big Dipper ice cream in their restaurant and Biga has a widely popular variety of pizza to add to their menu.  Everybody wins. 

Plus, now I cannot WAIT for cherry season!

Benefit #1 Taste, Taste, Taste

Now that I've blogged several times about a particular local food or drink, I wanted to begin to explore the question, "Why Local?".  I know that eating locally grown or produced foods gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling but besides that what are the actual benefits of doing so? Over the next several weeks, I'll figure this out and share my findings.

Benefit #1. Local (and seasonal) food tastes better.
The other day I attempted to eat a cherry tomato from some tropical location way south of Montana and I literally had to spit it out. My thoughts drifted back to those big beautiful heirloom tomatoes I got at the farmer's market last summer that I was happy to eat like an apple.  My entire life I thought I didn't care much for tomatoes then I had one of these beauties and realized I just didn't care for store-bought, pre-packaged, long distance tomatoes.  The superior taste stems from a few causes.

First, once a tomato or pear is picked or an egg is laid, the clock starts ticking. The longer it takes for the item to get from its source to your mouth, the more it will loose taste because of its age.  So if you're eating an orange from Florida that had to be shipped to Montana, you're not getting the full flavor as opposed to an apple that has been grown in the Bitterroot and picked within the last few days or even hours.  This is true not just for produce but cheese, eggs and sauces. 

Second, the giant mass-producing farms that provide Montanans blueberries in February have to grow varieties that have a long shelf-life which may not be the best varieties when it comes to taste.  Local growers can pick and choose what they grow based on how good they taste, not on how long they last. 

Color Me an Omelet

I try to avoid impulse buying at the grocery store but how could anyone resist these eggs?

Looking at them simply makes me happy.  These delightful eggs come from the Rocking RB Mountain Home Organics farm in Victor where Paula Raines weaves her poultry magic to produce not only these beauties but also duck and quail eggs along with ducks, quail and soon, Thanksgiving turkeys for consumption. 

In a true showing of my chicken ignorance I asked Paula why she decided to dye these eggs.  Silly me. They come out of the chicken that way! What gifted creature I queried can lay pastel pink eggs? The answer is the americauna breed shown below.  I may have changed my mind about having children if they came out a lovely shade of blue, olive, dark olive or pastel pink. 

Paula is a true testament to the dedication of Montana’s organic farmers.  According to Paula, “our chickens eat a well-balanced diet of certified organic mash that is corn free, with Alfalfa meal incorporated in it. They also get meal worms once a week during the winter.” And does Paula head on over to Petsmart for her meal worms? Surely you jest. Rocking RB has the only certified organic meal worms in all of the US! Her chickens also are fed Kelp, certified organic of course, and oyster shells which help make the eggs shells solid.  Paula says, “we love our birds” which is evident when I hear about the devotion she takes in their care. 

As I told Paula, I found it hard to bring myself to actually crack one of these eggs open since they were so perfect in their shell. This morning I finally gave in and made omelets for breakfast. As always, I found that if the main ingredient is good, simple is always better so all I added was a splash of milk, pepper and some shredded smoke Gouda cheese.  The result was divine! The eggs had a fresh taste to them that you don’t find in the mass produced brands. The yolks also seemed larger than what I was used to and had a beautiful pale yellow color.  Paula has provided her own recipe for a Duck Egg Omelet which I have included in the Recipes section. 

I could go on and on about Rocking RB’s organic practices but this post would be endless.  If you’re interested in learning more, you can contact Paula through http://www.localharvest.org/. Look for the eggs at the Good Food store in Missoula or the Bozeman Co-op.

Old 'Stache Whiskey Barrel Porter

For some, the coming of spring is signified by a Robin sighting or the sound of ice breaking up on the lake. For me, it’s Old ‘Stache Whiskey Barrel Porter at Tamarack Brewery.  I look forward to the day this fabulous concoction comes out with great anticipation during our dreary Montana winters. 

                                                    

I first discovered the wonderful combination of beer and bourbon at Magic Hat Brewery in Burlington, Vermont and I now seek it out like Dracula seeks blood.  While we're on the subject, the inability to get Magic Hat beer is really the only thing I dislike about living in the west. Well, that and the fact that I haven’t experience a decent thunderstorm since 1995.

But back to Old ‘Stache.  To make a whiskey infused beer, the beer must be aged in bourbon oak barrels for several months, obviously a time consuming process which is why, I would guess, it isn’t a common type of beer.  According to Tamarack’s website, this particular beer is an old-style Porter brewed inside bourbon barrels for over 100 days.  The result is an extremely flavorful drink with a beautiful dark caramel color. It tastes mostly like a Porter but there is strong hint of bourbon that slips in and thankfully lingers after the initial sip. Tamarack serves it in a snifter glass instead of the usual pint glass.  Not only is it fun to drink beer out of snifter but at 8.9% alcohol it packs a wallop and should be slowly sipped to experience all its deliciousness. 

During a quick chat with our extremely friendly and accommodating bartender at the Missoula taphouse, I learned that Old ‘Stache is so named because one of the owners of Tamarack is known for his formidable mustache and his birthday is in February which is also why it comes out this time of year. 

Run, don’t walk to Tamarack Brewery in Missoula or Lakeside.  This beer goes very fast. While you’re there, try their fabulous food, too.  I highly recommend the chicken enchiladas and Dave swears by their ribs. 

Viki's Montana Mtn Classics

Before you stop in Whistling Andy's in Bigfork, head over to Viki's Montana Mtn Classics for some tasty samples of Viki's homemade preserves, syrups, vinegars and dressings. Viki makes all of her own products using high quality, simple ingredients and local food whenever possible.  I am currently using some of her basil garlic vinaigrette dressing on all my salads. It's packed with large pieces of basil and just the right combination of creaminess and garlic flavor.  The huckleberry products are fabulous, too.  Anyone from Montana can recognize that syrupy sweet flavor in the abundance of huckleberry products found in any tourist outlet in the state but Viki's creations have just the right amount of real huckleberry tang. 

Viki's also carries a wide range of other local Montana made products like tea, honey and soup mixes.  She's a great ambassador of local food.  Stop by to see her at 801 Grand Avenue or order products and gift baskets on her website, http://www.montanaclassics.com/. 

Attack of the Giant Butternut

Check out this giant locally grown butternut squash! And check out what I made with it.....

(Notice I couldn't wait to start eating it before I remembered to take a  picture of it)
I have to admit that one of my least favorite activities in life is peeling and cutting up squash but the half hour I spent battling this monster was well worth it. Even after I made these pita pizzas, I had a large freezer bag full of lovely cubed butternut. It's all gone now but it lived a good life as roasted kabobs drizzled with a spicy chipotle sauce, a silky bed of pureed loveliness topped with chicken and apple sausage links and finally mashed and swirled in with some Yukon Gold potatoes.  Check out the Recipes section for instructions on how to make these pizzas and keep an eye out for all different varieties of Montana squash.

Whistling Andy's Distillery

Montana is blessed with many fine micro-breweries and to a lesser extent, wineries, so it’s no surprise that distilleries were soon to follow.  One of these pioneers is Whistling Andy’s in Bigfork. If you wish to start a taste test of Montana distilleries, this was a good place to begin.

Whistling Andy’s makes vodka, gin, silver rum, Montana moonshine and their amazing award-winning Hibiscus Coconut Rum.  This bright red concoction was not something I would see myself enjoying since I tend to lean toward the smoky tasting darker spirits and away from the sweet. I have to say, however that this rum was downright tasty just by itself served over some ice.  It certainly doesn’t taste as sweet as it looks which is a good thing.  On our last visit, Dave and I also took home some of the crisp cucumber gin which was divine in a classic martini.  Check out a recipe for a Knickerbocker on the recipe section of the blog using this gin.

Whistling Andy’s has a lovely tasting room for visitors to enjoy and if a distiller is on hand, a quick tour of the backroom distilling facility is an added treat.  The distilling process is fascinating and complicated.  (By backroom I don’t mean “backroom” as in a homemade still in the woods behind the building. It really is in the backroom).  The bartenders are quick with a few free samples or you can enjoy a well made cocktail for a fair price.  My visit began with a wonderful hot cider made with the moonshine. It was heavenly on a cold morning and I just get a huge thrill out of drinking anything with “moonshine” in it.  It makes me feel like I’m getting away with something. 

One of the best parts of Whistling Andy’s is that they are a true local establishment.  They use Montana grains in their liquors and use local distributors for any ingredients that can’t be found here. Unfortunately no one has figured out a way to grow sugarcane in Montana so the rum falls into this last category.  Since many good types of liquor need time to mature, I foresee Whistling Andy’s wares only improving with time. 

Notice the bottle is empty. This is not something that will sit on your shelf for too long.

Visit Whistling Andy’s at 8541 MT Hwy 35 in Bigfork. They are open seven days a week (don’t you love Montana?) from 11-7.  Visit them on the web to find out about events and where to find their liquors at http://www.whistlingandy.com/.

The Perfect Local Date, twice

A few weeks ago, Dave and I had a dinner date at one of my favorite Missoula restaurants, Biga Pizza. Not only was it tasty but it also turned out to be the perfect local dinner.  We ordered the sweet potato, bacon and maple chipotle pizza.  Biga has many spectacular pizzas but this one is made with local bacon, caramelized sweet potatoes, toasted hazelnuts, olive oil, mozzarella and a maple-chipotle drizzle, and it’s the one I usually find myself ordering when I’m there. The salty bacon, crunchy nuts and sweet and spicy drizzle are a perfect compliment to each other. To add to our dining pleasure we bought a bottle of Missoula’s Ten Spoons’ Range Rider Red wine to go along with the pizza. I couldn’t believe the price of the bottle of wine, $16.00, which is exactly what you’d pay for it in the grocery store. No big mark-up here.   

Range Rider Red is a fabulous full-bodied dry wine. (Am I fooling you that I know what I’m talking about when it comes to wine?) No matter, I know what I like and I like this wine. Range Rider Red is somewhat of a rarity since it’s one of the few wines that Ten Spoons produces that is made exclusively from grapes grown in Montana.

On a recent Saturday night, we had the mirror image of this dinner with our friends, Molli and Tony. We went to Ten Spoons tasting room and brought Biga Pizza.  I can’t seem to get enough of this combination. 

When you’re ready to have your perfect local date visit Biga Pizza, http://www.bigapizza.com/ to check out their current menu. A good sign of how important using local food is to a restaurant is to see how often the menu changes and this menu changes often so hurry if you want this pizza. To learn more about wonderful things they’re creating at Ten Spoons, go to http://www.tenspoons.com/. 

Book Review - The Locavore's Handbook by Leda Meredith

I’ve decided to incorporate my love of reading into my blog and do a book review from time to time.  I just recently finished The Locavore’s Handbook by Leda Meredith. I should have finished it much sooner than I did since it is an easy read and many parts didn’t apply to me but with the holidays it took me way longer than I’d like to admit. (Thanks Missoula Public Library.  The check is in the mail.) 

During one year, Leda Meredith committed herself to eating only food that was grown or raised within 250 miles of her home in Brooklyn, New York.  This book imparts the knowledge she gained while becoming a locavore and gives some great advice on how anyone can do the same.  Being that she lives in a small apartment in the city, she offers great tips on how to be a locavore on a budget, how to store food in a small space and how to grow your own food in just about any living conditions.  I especially enjoyed the chapter about growing your own food. She gives simple detailed instructions for indoor or outdoor gardens for those of us without much gardening experience plus it was nice to dream about spring when it was 10 degrees outside.   

There are several parts of the book that may or may not apply to you, for instance there’s an entire chapter about being single and being a locavore.  But more than lifestyle, the biggest difference between her and I is location.  She has access to at least one farmer’s market five days a week year round.  And, as I mentioned in my earlier post, The Locavore’s Dilemma, 250 miles from Brooklyn gets you much more variety than 250 miles from just about anywhere in Montana.  But if you look past or skip over those parts that don’t apply to those of us out west, you can still gain a wealth of knowledge on how (and why) you should become a locavore. 

Overall, I really recommend this book to anyone exploring a locavore lifestyle.  You’ll just have to wait until I turn it back in. 

Winter Farmer's Market

As any lover of local food, I lament the closing of the farmer’s markets every fall. As I peel my one thousandth California Satsuma in March, I begin to tick off the days until May when the market will open once again. Fortunately for us Missoulians, the recent opening of the Heirloom Winter Market is a big step in the right direction toward having access to local food throughout the year. 

If you’re expecting to see the summer market’s recreated inside, prepare yourself.  The fact of the matter is, very little produce grows in Montana this time of year. What you will find is a few tables of produce with broccoli, bok choy, brussel sprouts and onions among other hearty produce and a few tables of local baked goods.  There is also a room devoted to wonderful local packaged foods such as Tipu’s Chai, Bitterroot Toffee and many jars of jams and honey. My biggest delight was seeing Uncle Bill with his divine sausages holding court in the back corner.  He had several great suggestions on how to pair his sausage with the produce available at the market. I was informed that he is off to Thailand soon so here’s hoping someone will man his booth while he’s gone. 

                                                            

As with any new venture, the Heirloom Winter Market will only survive and grow if enough people show interest in it. So go, buy whatever you can and talk up the vendors just as you would during the summer markets.

The Heirloom Winter Market is open Saturdays from 10:00 to 12:00. It is located in the Ceretana Granary, a fine historic Missoula building at 801 Sherwood.