There are so many things I could write about our time in Montana, it has been an utterly enjoyable 4 days.  We have explored history at Little Bighorn,we were awed by the beauty on Going to the Sun Road,we hiked on trails at Herron Park,we cooled off in Whitefish and Foy Lakes,and we rafted the Middle Fork of the Flathead River.Those activities filled our days and our memories.  But, what I want to write about, of course, is the food…

Our first encounter with Montana food was pulling into a corner gas station on a backroad in southeastern Montana on a Sunday, everything looked closed. I went inside to ask where we could find some food. They directed me around back, to the woman making tacos in a food truck/trailer. We had amazingly good pulled chicken and pulled beef tacos.

Then came dinner in Billings. When in cattle country, one must partake of beef! Cam had been waiting for a pet-friendly steakhouse the entire trip. He and Ali shared a huge strip steak, while I enjoyed my first steak in years, a tender filet topped with blue cheese.

Then, of course there are flathead cherries bought along the side of the road. I ate a pound of cherries that night! By the way, this nice gentleman tried to sell me his father’s cherry orchard, oh so tempting…

Not only is it cherry season, it is huckleberry season! At our local grocery, Canyon Foods, we found luscious huckleberry ice cream, preserves, and fresh huckleberries.

We discovered an interesting and very tasty use for our fresh huckleberries. Because if their tartness, they made an excellent substitute for salsa on our nachos.

Tuesday evening was the farmers market in Whitefish. Not a huge market, but definitely quality produce. Here’s my haul:

• Raspberries and snap peas from Good Earth Orchards in Big Fork;
• Locally grown ranier cherries;
• Cherry tomatoes from Mountain View Gardens in Kalispell; and
• Wildflower honey from the Great Northern Honey Co. in Columbia Falls.

While at the market, we hit up the food trucks for a couple of giant fish tacos with a unique, and tasty, bang bang sauce. The taco was so big, I think I dropped ⅓ of it on my dog as I ate it (of course he was sitting under me waiting for it).

Other fun food in Montana: pizza at Mighty Mo Brewing Co.

and fried green tomatoes and an icebreaker- made with cherry bourbon from Glacier Distilling – at Josephine’s in Coram.

We are coming up on the last leg of our cross country adventure. I am sorry to see it end, but looking forward to starting our new life in Portland!