Fabulous huckleberries add tangy flavor to dishes, brews and more

or colors), from homemade bread to deli sandwiches to ice cream treats. And when huckleberry season rolls around, you can find them in all those things (well, maybe not the deli sandwiches) and more. The store sells huckleberry cream cheese Danish rolls, as well as baked-from-scratch huckleberry pies, huckleberry milkshakes … even huckleberry bread! Things do sell out, so a quick call at 208-266-1300 can be a good idea if there’s something specific you have in mind.

The store also carries a large selection of huckleberry products that range from jams and jellies, to huckleberry licorice and taffy, to BBQ sauce and candy bars, many of them made right here in Idaho.

Here in Sandpoint, you can satisfy your fresh huckleberry urge in season at Miller’s Country Store, which always offers a range of pies, stollen, and scones when the berries are ripe. You’ll find them at 1326 Baldy Mountain Rd.

You can also satisfy your sweet tooth with the huckleberry crème brulee at Schweitzer’s Chimney Rock Grill. A rich custard with a carmelized sugar topping, huckleberries add a sweetly tart complement to this traditional dish.

When it comes to huckleberries and Sweet Lou’s (477272 Highway 95 in Ponderay)—you can’t miss their huckleberry

ALL NATURAL!

Huckleberry Season!

cheesecake. “We make all of our cheesecakes in-house, so this favorite dessert is only available when the berries are in season and we are lucky enough to come across a patch,” said owner Meggie Foust. The popular restaurant also serves up huckleberry lemonade—a perfect thirst-quencher on a hot summer day.

If you’re looking for ready-to-use huckleberry products—jams, syrups, candy, pretzels and the like—Winter Ridge Natural Foods (703 Lake St.) has a nice selection to choose from, as does Litehouse Specialty Foods at 212 S. Second Ave.

Wine lovers, this one’s for you: Pend d’Oreille Winery’s signature Huckleberry Blush. This blend made here in Sandpoint has just a hint of sweetness with Riesling as its foundation, and infused with locally pressed huckleberries. The winery, located downtown at 301 Cedar St., advises that it’s best served with hard cheese, nuts, and grilled or spicy meats.

And not to be left out, beer drinkers can lap up Laughing Dog Brewery’s Mountain Hound Huckleberry Cream Ale at their taproom at 805 Schweitzer Plaza Drive in Ponderay. This smooth brew has developed a loyal fan base with its fruity, creamy, sweet taste. In town, at 419 Second Ave., MickDuff’s Brewing serves up its Huckleberry Blonde Ale, blending its popular ale with locallyproduced huckleberry puree.

But there’s nothing that pairs with summer heat better than good, old-fashioned lemonade. For a thirst-quenching dose of huckleberry goodness, try a glass of the huckleberry lemonade at Jalapeno’s Mexican Restaurant, 314 N. Second Avenue. It’s been a longtime favorite at the popular downtown eatery, and can be ordered by the glass or by the pitcher. They also serve huckleberry margaritas for those who want to experience the ultimate huckleberry indulgence.