fellow long-term picker, has been foraging for huckleberries since she moved to Spokane in the early 1970s. McKinney and her husband, David Moershel, are dedicated outdoorspeople who enjoy bringing out-of-towners into the huckleberry fray. Hikes in the Idaho panhandle not only work up an appetite, but also give McKinney and Moershel a chance to introduce friends to the art of picking huckleberries without harming the bushes. “If you find a bush or branch, don’t use your hands to strip it all off. Pick gently. Don’t break branches,” advises McKinney. Henderson, McKinney and Moershel incorporate their huckleberry harvests into culinary delights throughout the year — huckleberries freeze well — by experimenting with classic huckleberry recipes like pancakes, muffins, ice cream, salads and pie. Henderson is constantly looking for new ways to consume his huckleberry haul.
$17.95
NEW 3-Course Dinner Menu 3-6 pm daily
Salad Entrée Dessert
Allie Rawlins (left) and Bre Romine picking at Mt. Spokane.
adam miller photos
Grilled Kobe Meatloaf with Chipotle BBQ
“How many berries we get dictates what we make. I use them in sauces as well. I make huckleberry kombucha, too,” says Henderson. As an increase in foraging for wild food has risen among the general population, so has the curiosity in picking huckleberries. At Mt. Spokane, Bre Romine and Allie Rawlins have ventured into the woods for the first time this summer to try their hands at picking. Much to their pleasure, they’ve experienced a successful first run, finding the lower elevations abundant with shrubs of ripe huckleberries. “You read about how people have their own secret spots, but it’s looking like you can go off the road and get some. I’m sure that the big, juicy ones are in those secret spots, but it will be an adventure over time to find your own,” says Romine. Romine and Rawlins’ excursion isn’t without a learning curve, however. Rawlins has experienced the folly of many beginners who’ve gone before her. “The hardest part about picking huckleberries is keeping the ratio even between the ones that end up in your bucket and the ones that end up in your belly,” she says. n
509 789 6848 • palmcourtgrill.com Historic Davenport Hotel 10 S. Post St., Downtown Spokane
JULY 31, 2014 INLANDER 37