Hooked on huckleberries: ‘It’s a grizzly!’

Beaver Creek Road on the west side of Priest Lake offers some breathtaking views in the area. Thanks to the implementation of the Grizzly Recovery Plan, we were treated to another breathtaking experience.

Old habits are hard to break, they say. We had been picking huckleberries up there since ’83. Naturally, when they opened the gate in July 1995, we drove halfway up the mountain to check out our old stomping grounds. The berries were fantastic that year – big and prolific. The excitement of discovering better and better bushes took precedence over our caution.

Suddenly, one of our boys, Albert, shouted, “A bear! There is a bear … It’s a grizzly!”

Whoa! When my heart started beating again, I motioned to the boys to move back and stick together. That’s all I could think of at the time. The tan-colored grizzly was climbing up the hill when he spotted us. The bear stopped, stood up on his hind legs, then turned and ran down the hill. Phew! Our guardian angels were on the job that day!

The bear was not gigantic in size, not like the Kodiak brown bears in Alaska, but any bear, especially grizzly, commands a great deal of respect. We figured we didn’t need those huckleberries that badly after all and decided to clear the area with all deliberate speed.

We continued to pick berries in that general vicinity but developed new habits – staying close to the van, talking and whistling more and widening our pupils when a bird rustled a branch nearby.

The secret patch

Serious huckleberry pickers hope to have a patch that is entirely their own, a secret spot that the rest of the purple-fingered world is ignorant about. I knew one such place off a Forest Service road that stays blocked by a gate most of the year. This narrow road also has cuts in it, for better drainage, I suppose. You could actually pinpoint the location of your patch by the number of these “speed bumps” you have to roll over.

Finally, the gate was open, and I proceeded in great anticipation, only to be stopped halfway in by a hemlock tree that came crashing down sometime in the winter and was blocking the road. Determined to check out the yield and progress of ripening, I drove in on a lower road and hiked the rest of the way.

“Oh yeah, they are big and plentiful. This will be perfect. Tomorrow is the day!”

A good friend of mine wanted to go huckleberry picking with me and asked if he could bring a few visiting relatives with him, as they were curious about our Priest Lake purple gold.

“OK, that’s fine,” I agreed. “I have a great patch. The road is blocked by a fallen tree and no one has picked in there yet. We’re gonna have a good time!” In the morning, armed with a chainsaw, we set out to conquer the virgin territory.

Trouble! I spotted the saw dust from a distance. The hemlock, previously blocking the way, was lying on the side of the road cut in chunks. I hurried to my wonderful secret spot, only to find it violated and “my” berries gone. At a time like this, frontier mentality takes over.

“Well, folks, it’s every man for himself!” We disappeared into the forest and after a couple of hours of picking and a lot of walking, we met again at the van for a bottle of water and a sandwich.

Suddenly, we heard the sound of another engine – rather odd in such a remote area. A gray pickup truck drove by very slowly. I must say, my disappointment was nothing compared to the look on the face of the culprit who returned to the scene of the crime, thinking it was “his” patch, only to be greeted by a bunch of strangers running around and looking at each other’s buckets. The secret spot was no more.

As for me, disappointments don’t last long. There is always another adventure, another search for a huckleberry Xanadu, discovered only by the sunshine and waiting for my big smile. It is there, waiting …

From the forest

to the table

There are so many ways to celebrate the legendary fruit of the Northwest’s forest. Ever since we started picking huckleberries, I have engaged in creating new recipes and sharing the goodies with family and friends. Often, they encouraged me to write a cookbook. The first edition of the “Huckleberry Haus Cookbook” came out in 1997.

Much has changed in the kitchen since then. Margarine and vegetable shortening are out, avocado oil is in and butter doesn’t seem so bad after all, compared to trans fats. These nutritional considerations provided the motivation to update the recipes, remove some and add a few new ones.

The 138-page newly revised edition of the “Huckleberry Haus Cookbook” features over 120 easy-to-follow recipes and includes everything from muffins and pies to cakes, breads and cheesecakes. The cookbook begins with entertaining huckleberry-picking tales and practical harvesting tips, then guides you through more sections for pastries, desserts, jams, ice cream and beverages.

I hope you have enjoyed reading the stories of our huckleberry picking adventures and working with the recipes. It has been delightful to share the joy of huckleberries with you. “The Huckleberry Haus Cookbook – New Revised Edition” is available from huckleberryhauspublishing.com for $ 14.95 and free USPS media mail shipping.

Easy Huckleberry Barbecue Sauce

1 cup frozen huckleberries, thawed, with juice

4 tablespoons honey

1 18-ounce bottle hickory smoke barbecue sauce

Combine huckleberries and honey in a saucepan. When using fresh berries, add ⅓ cup water. Bring to boil over moderate heat, stirring. Lower the heat and cook 2 minutes longer. Cool and puree in a blender. Mix with the store-bought barbecue sauce, funnel into appropriate size bottle(s), and refrigerate. Great with grilled salmon.

Chocolate Huckleberry Cheesecake

Prepare Chocolate Cookie Crust:

1½ cups plain chocolate cookie crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

½ stick (¼ cup) butter, melted

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Combine all ingredients until well mixed. Press into the bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

Cheesecake filling

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

¼ cup cold water

½ cup boiling water

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

¾ cup sour cream

¾ cup sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon pure almond extract

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let stand. Using an electric mixer, mix softened cream cheese and sour cream well. Mix in sugar, cocoa powder, and extracts. Pour boiling water into the softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add to the cream cheese mixture and pour the filling into the crust-lined springform pan, spreading it evenly. Drape pan with a double layer of paper towels and cover tightly with sticky plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Huckleberry Cheesecake Topping

2½ cups fresh huckleberries

⅓ cup water

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons corn starch

Mix sugar and corn starch. Combine with huckleberries and water in a saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the mixture thickens. Cool completely. Spread over filling when ready. Chill again. Open springform, transfer cheesecake to a platter, and serve with whipped cream.

Yield: 12 servings

Stan Simonik is a retired pastor and the author of “Huckleberry Haus Cookbook – New Revised Edition.”