Playing With Our Food

One of best ways to pass a hot, summer Montana day is to head to the river. Lori and I love to paddleboard so we made an afternoon of it on the Clark Fork River that flows through our small valley. We have two floating options, seven miles or 12 miles, when dropping in at the fishing access in Frenchtown. On this day, we decided to float the shorter route to the tiny community of Ninemile. Of course, that meant packing a lunch, too. He said: From the access parking area, it’s at least a quarter mile walk to a slough that flows into the river. We put our paddleboards and paddles under our arms and started the hike in. Once we reached the slough, we put in and floated probably another quarter to half mile to the river. As we did so, I saw a trout that had to be at least 20 inches long. (Note to self: come back here to fish!) Since it was already lunch time, we didn’t want to waste any time to find a spot to grab a bite to eat. Once we met the main stem of the river, the current push...

As a “burger and fry guy,” there’s nothing like that meal before joining thousands of your closest college football friends on the opening Saturday of a new season. And when that means a pre-game stop at one of my favorite burger joints –Five Guys – man oh man, just BRING IT! He said: One thing I love about Five Guys is you can start eating without even paying for it. Standing in line to order, I scooped up a handful of peanuts and started cracking shells. Once at the counter, I went with my go-to: a (really not so) little cheeseburger loaded with extra pickles, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, grilled mushrooms and grilled onions, regular fries and a cup of water. Normally, I’d go for a peanut butter shake to boot but given that it was already 80+ degrees outside and we expected temperatures in the mid-90s for game day, I wanted to get a head start on hydrating. I love me a napkin-a-bite burger, and Five Guys always delivers. After each bite of my burger, I had to use a napkin to clean...

Sometimes, simple is the best way to go, especially when you have a long ways to go. He said: When facing a long, winding, two-hour drive followed by a demanding but short (thank goodness) hike, you don’t need to get fancy with what you eat. Simple, filling and tasty works best. And on this day, that meant a ham, turkey and cheese sandwich with a large honeycrisp apple and a handful of Snickers bites. (Side note: Snickers of any size are my go-to when climbing mountain ridges and hunting elk and deer in the fall. They provide a sweet, tasty, nutritious pick-me-up.) She said: (out of state) By the way… located high above the Fish Creek drainage 23 miles south of exit 66 on Interstate 90 and about 65 miles west of Missoula, Montana, Surveyor Lake was the destination on this day. My brother, Alan, and I arrived at the unmarked trailhead at about 9:15 or so in the morning after a long, windy, dusty, bumpy drive. We pulled on our large, 40-pound backpacks complete with paddleboar...

Off the beaten path, laced with history and quality food. That about sums up Ekstrom’s Stage Station , 20 miles east of Missoula, Montana, off Interstate 90 and the Rock Creek exit. She said: This is just like eating in your grandma’s kitchen. And I mean that in the best of ways. Everything just tastes home cooked. My trout was perfectly cooked. It had a nice lightly breaded coating and was tender and flaky. The tartar sauce and my fish came out even—which is a thing for me. The mashed potatoes tasted just like home—not too smooth and not too chunky—but just right. You know your grandma wants you to get your vegetables so broccoli and carrots came on the side. They were also cooked just right. Did I mention that a salad bar came with the meal? It also was just like home. Not too fancy but did you right. The portion sizes were huge! Unfortunately, we didn’t have room for dessert but I think a return trip for huckleberry crumble might be in order. He said: “So tell me about the German s...

The first time we walked into Cowboy Troy’s –a few years ago – it was kind of an afterthought. This time, it was both the plan and the perfect way to cap off a beautiful day in the beautiful Bitterroot Valley. Cowboy Troy’s is a family-owned eatery that seems to measure about as long as the small town of Victor, Montana. It parallels Highway 93 about 15 feet off the busy roadway that bisects the small community. Turn to the left as you enter, and you find plenty of space to sit and watch pizzas cooking in a wood-fired oven. Turn to the right, and you enter the bar with an eye-catching “wallpaper,” of sorts. Practically the entire wall is covered with one dollar bills decorated with signatures, art work and dedications. They number into the hundreds. She said: I definitely ordered the right thing from the menu. (Which makes me want to go back and see if there are more right things! Except my tastebuds were so happy, I’d probably order the same thing even if it was dinner the same day...

When an afterthought of a meal turns out to be more than that, it’s definitely worth a mention and a visit. Located about 12 miles northwest of Missoula, Montana, in the Lolo National Forest, you’ll find Snowbowl Ski Resort. Known to locals for its steep runs thanks to an elevation gain of 2,600 feet, the small resort looks down on the growing western Montana city. He said:  Montana Snowbowl opened its doors the same month and year I came into the world – December of 1962. It’s a small but friendly and welcoming outfit. And the same holds true for the Last Run Inn. It’s a simple eatery with a small bar, enough room to flip and prepare pizza dough, and a wood-fired brick oven. Now, to me, there’s a big, big difference sitting next to a wood-burning fireplace compared to an electric fireplace. And it’s not just the popping of the wood as it burns either. A wood-burning fireplace generates heat that warms you to the bone. Plus, there’s the fragrance of burning wood that takes you ...