Made in Montana: the mother lode

I expected to spend maybe two hours walking through the Made in Montana trade show in Great Falls today. I was there over four hours and that really wasn't enough time to see everything along four aisles filled with items all made in Montana.

Of course I was interested mainly in food items, but there were also furniture, jewelry, pottery, soaps, music CDs, t-shirts, photographs and cards, toothpicks made from porcupine quills . . . the creativity of Montanans is as wide as our vast blue sky and, well, just plain unique.

The purpose of the annual two-day show is to introduce Made-in-Montana products to retailers (Friday) and then to the general public (Saturday). I found that the vendors treated the general public, who appeared to have maybe more interest in sampling than buying, with as much generosity and enthusiasm as they must have shown to retail representatives who could buy their products in vast quantities.

The fabulous thing about this show is meeting the people who actually own the companies. Often they are the entire staff, creating products, cooking things in small home or commercial kitchens, marketing, selling, etc.

These were also the people who could and did explain the details of how mead is made, exactly where cherry trees grow in Montana, their personal experience using non-gluten products, how beekeepers survive the challenges of their industry, and so much more.

The following is a quick tour of some of the foods I found.

Proudly Made in Montana

Becky's Berries from Absarokee produces jams and jellies from a wide variety of Montana-grown berries and fruits. Favorites include hot jalapeno mixed with berries or apricots or other sweet fruit. Spread this on a cream-cheese-topped cracker and you are in snack heaven.

Stevensville is lucky to have the Charbonneau's Chocolate Company.

Cream of the West, located in Harlowton, has, among other things, delicious wholegrain hot and cold cereals, a flapjack mix, and a breading mix. New flour products will be introduced soon.

I fondly remember my visit last summer to the Helen's Candies shop in Libby. Huckleberry makes its appearance in truffles, and their novelty shaped chocolates (my favorite being the foil-wrapped state of Montana) make delightful gifts.

I learned that the meads made by Hidden Legend Winery in Victor consist of fermented honey, fruit juice, and a touch of water. They are a sweet treat indeed. My favorite: the peach!

Ravalli's High Mountain Huckleberry jams and sauces were delectably served on freshly made waffles.

There were several coffee roasters, but I liked the cute labels of Hunter Bay Coffee of Lolo.

Another company in the well-represented huckleberry category was Larchwood Farms, located in Trout Creek. They sell candy, syrup, pancake mixes (including gluten-free), and a very, very tasty line of jams, which include mouthwatering fruits and berries like huckleberry, strawberries, pie cherries, and apricots. My friend who loves tart tastes found their huckleberry products to her liking and was especially pleased to find the rare pie cherries in a product.

Oh what fun to meet the proud owner of Lissie's Luv Yums in Great Falls. Lissie, an Assiniboine Native American, said her profits go right back into her business, with a percent given to charities fighting fetal alcohol syndrome. Lissie has received numerous business awards and is a well-traveled speaker at self-employment development conferences. Her dog treats are handmade from Montana-grown products. If you have a dog, you must buy some of these for him or her. You just can't go wrong with a product made with 100 percent love! (In the photo, Lissie is shown with her foster mother, Sister Johnelle Howanach.)

An unusual gluten-free product was offered by Montana Gluten-Free Processors, in Belgrade: Timtana flour. Go to the Web site to learn more. The baked sample I tasted was like a light wholewheat bread. Very nice. I bought a 3-pound bag and am looking forward to experimenting.

I have used Montana Grassland Mixes of Nashua and was happy to meet the women behind the product. They are a happy bunch! Today they were serving samples of their Indian frybread mix. I mentioned that I avoid deep-frying -- what a mess! what a greasy result! -- and I was told not to be afraid. Just make sure you use a pan about 3 inches high, with grease at the proper temperature. It sounds easy. I might try it someday. Meanwhile, I'll just keep using their plain bread and biscuit mixes.

I think the first made-in-Montana product I consciously bought was a package of dried cherries from The Orchard at Flathead Lake. The dried cherries are not currently available, but the chutney, syrup, and jams are. The apple butter is amazing. The Orchard, like most Montana cherry orchards, is located near Bigfork on the Flathead Lake. Thus, Montanans will refer to "Flathead" cherries, which designates them as unusually tasty fruit, but this is not a cherry variety, rather a geographic reference. I also learned that any cherries you buy within Montana are probably from this area. The season is a brief two weeks in late July/early August, so get them while you can!

Pauline, of Drummond, was enthusiastically serving up samples of her lively BBQ sauce and proudly pointing out her BBQ sauce fountain. What a clever idea! If you see Pauline's Rocky Mountain Premium Barbecue Sauce for sale, grab a bottle and have a party!

Smoot Honey is an almost-50-year-old family-run business in Power. They provide bees and honey where needed. Although you may not see their brand name or even the word "Montana," Smoot honey is used in many products across the nation. Montana honey is light and Southern honey is dark, so the two are often mixed to a happy medium and sold generically.

Last, but by far not least, is Western Trails Food in Glendive. I have enthusiastically reviewed their Niterider Chili mix and baked beans made from their Rustler BBQ Bean Sauce and Buckaroo BBQ Bean Mix. I also wrote about my tour of the factory. I can't say enough good things about this small company and their products.

Jolie's lollies

Eight-year-old Jolie is a third-generation resident of Big Timber and a fifth-generation lollipop maker. The set of cast iron molds in whimsical animal shapes, along with a handwritten original recipe, have been handed down among daughters of a group of friends, with Jolie recently becoming the fifth recipient. She has also followed tradition by selling her first batch at area bazaars during the recent Christmas season.

Jolie made the first batch with her mother and grandmother and others who had made the lollies before, and the event was interwoven with memories of the woman, now deceased, who started it all. It seems that a warm community can be formed around lollipops.

With six flavors (cinnamon, bubblegum, butterscotch, pina colada, root beer, and tutti frutti) and 60 lollipops in each flavor batch, that's a lot of candy. But then, whatever doesn't sell, Jolie gets to eat, and there is no complaint there!

Two years ago Jolie began her sales career by making puppy treats with her grandmother to sell at the Big Timber farmers market, and now she also sells bags of creamy, soft caramel corn and other goodies.

Sitting outside at Christmas was no fun, but customers were grateful.

The warm indoor bazaar was much nicer.

She can't remember when she started cooking, but even at 4 years old she was inventing colorful healthy dishes like Jolie's Pasta (carrots, grapes, and cheese sticks, each sliced and put in a serving dish) and Jolie's Stew (grapes, carrots, and raspberries from the garden), proudly serving these to her mother as an after-work snack.

Jolie's goal is to earn $1,000 in a single year from her cooking. She still has a way to go at present, but she is working hard to get there.

Apart from cooking, Jolie is a very busy gal. She also enjoys riding horses, drawing, painting, playing baseball, volleyball, and basketball, reading, fishing, playing piano . . . Whew -- well, you name it, and she's probably getting ready to go do it!

Her advice for other kids wanting to cook: "Sometimes when something doesn't look fun to bake, it can be fun."

Jolie certainly enjoys cooking, but she is limited in what she can do on her own, and sometimes that is frustrating. "The non-fun part is when mama just has to do it," she said. Jolie definitely does not like sitting aside and watching her mother pour molten sugar for the lollies or stir the hot caramel corn.

Jolie has big plans simmering, so watch for her this summer at the Big Timber farmers market -- and perhaps the Livingston market -- and at the winter bazaars.

Of course Jolie wouldn't share her secret recipes for the other goodies she makes (what I was thinking to even ask!), but she generously gave me this zucchini bread recipe.

Zucchini Bread

Cream together 3 eggs, 2 cups sugar, 1 cup oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

In another bowl, sift 3 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon.

In a small bowl, mix together 2 finely grated zucchini, 8 ounces crushed pineapple, and 1 cup chopped walnuts.

Alternate adding flour mixture and zucchini mixture to creamed mix.

Fold into a loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

Birthday candy

This is my birthday weekend and my best friend sent me what appeared to be a box of Seattle Chocolates truffles. That is, she used them as a kind of packing material around the presents she sent. Aren't they pretty?

The bag the truffles came in says: "What happiness tastes like."

Truth in advertising.

I have long been a fan of Seattle Chocolates, my favorites being their smooooth mint and milk chocolate flavors. When I lived in Seattle, my favorite hostess gift for friends outside Washington State was a collection of truffles in a Celebrate! box or one shaped like a ferry boat. Always a big hit!

But since moving to Montana, I'd forgotten how much I like these truffles. Right now I am luxuriating in flavors like peanut butter, coconut macaroon (they didn't put enough of these in this mix!), strawberry creme, blackberry creme, and rainier cherry. I still have at least 10 flavors to try.

Aren't birthdays wonderful? Aren't friends who send you chocolate to celebrate with even more wonderful!