Mix it up with Mani

It’s Huckleberry Time

Huckleberries grew wild around my grandparents cabin in the Sawtooth mountains of Idaho. Every year they ripened at a different time, and some years not at all. The hazy scarlet berries seemed to hide, individually, under the leaves of the bush. It took forever to gather a cup, us kids plucking them fresh, eating most of them before making it back to the kitchen. The few handfuls that survived were tossed in the pancake batter.

It was long thought that huckleberries grow in the wild only, throughout the Northwest, the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the upper Midwest. So imagine my surprise at noticing what has become the darling of restaurant menus over the last few years. That's right, the elusive huckleberry. It appears the mysterious pollination process for huckleberries is becoming better understood, leading to limited cultivation.

Our family has always considered them superior to blueberries. Imagine the tartness of a blackberry (minus the seeds) and the sweet, juicy burst of a blueberry and you get an idea of the taste of huckleberries. No wonder chefs have been seeking them out far and wide.

The growth of the forager movement, especially for mushrooms, I believe has propelled the market for huckleberries. I find them at some farmers markets (often sold by mushroom purveyors) and a quick online search yields many mail order sources, generally frozen, which does not dilute quality.

By September the season is complete, but that's a boon for the online purchase of this season’s crop. I’m going to stock up on several pounds of wild Idaho berries and keep them in the freezer. It only takes a handful of huckleberries to make any dessert divine.

Huckleberry Waffles and Pancakes
I often double this recipe and freeze the extra waffles for a quick weekday breakfast. Use a deep Belgian style waffle maker so the berries don’t get stuck. The quarter cup of corn meal or oats improve the nutritional profile, adding just a touch of whole grain fiber, texture and flavor.

Peach and Huckleberry Tart
This tart crust is tender-soft yet crisp, the perfect foil for a not-too-sweet filling. Works equally well with apples or plums instead of peaches, whatever is in season in your neck of the woods. Tuck a handful of berries around the fruit to get a taste of that huckleberry magic.