Montana and Wyoming's Food Flair by Ruth Paget

Montana and Wyoming Food Flair by Ruth Paget 

On vacations to Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks in Wyoming and Montana, I have seen the Big Sky with feathery cirrus clouds and cumulus clouds heavy with rain that sometimes made my vacations wet or snowy depending on the temperature. 

With the cookbook Best of the Best from Big Sky – Montana and Wyoming edited by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley, I can experience some of the life of Big Sky residents who shop once a week if weather permits. 

I liked the following recipes in the cookbook, because they are easy to recreate in other states: 

-white bean dip made with garlic, white kidney beans, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, cayenne, and cilantro leaves 

-black bean salsa made with red peppers, onion, cucumber, celery, tomato juice, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, cumin, and cilantro 

-cheese and chile bread made with French bread, mayonnaise, Monterey Jack cheese, green chilies, and jalapeños 

-oat biscuits made with eggs in addition to traditional ingredients. Oats contain all of the 9 essential amino acids needed to make a full protein. They are also relatively inexpensive. 

-oatmeal sunflower millet bread made with honey, whole-wheat flour, safflower oil, oatmeal, sunflower seeds, and millet 

-cranberry walnut scones made with milk and maple syrup in addition to the main ingredients 

-old-fashioned potato pancakes made with eggs and flour 

-turkey-wild rice soup 

-Norwegian fish chowder made with carrots, onions, and cauliflower 

-Russian scalloped potatoes made with onions, sour cream, potatoes, ham, and Parmesan cheese 

-pierogi casserole made with lasagna pasta, potatoes, cheddar cheese, onions, and butter. Pierogis are a Polish dish. 

-Bourbon pork tenderloins made with bourbon and brown sugar and topped off with mustard sauce 

-Dutch oven chicken dinner – a one-pot meal made with potatoes, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, garbanzo beans, onions, and chicken. 

Cooks interested in finding out more about the cuisine of America’s great national parks will enjoy Best of the Best from Big Sky – Montana and Wyoming edited by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Wyoming's High-Altitude Food by Ruth Paget

Wyoming’s High-Altitude Food by Ruth Paget 

On the way to and from Wisconsin, my Californian family drove over the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming to go to a family reunion. The top of the Rockies around Laramie, their highest point, have rounded, black peaks devoid of snow and antelope grazing way up high in the 2020s. 

On visits to Yellowstone National Park, my family has also discovered that the high altitude whets the appetite, especially after hiking and alters baking times. 

I found several dishes that all go well with coffee, the always acceptable drink in Wyoming, in my souvenir cookbook entitled A Taste of Wyoming: Favorite Recipes from the Cowboy State by Pamela Sinclair that might interest other cooks: 

-blueberry kuchen or coffee cake brought by German immigrants to Wyoming, who make up the largest immigrant group in the state 

-ten-grain pecan pancakes with sautéed apples 

-mushroom risotto to go with the states beloved meat dishes 

-roasted garlic mashed potatoes to go with meat dishes -wild rice salad 

–a Native American dish made with chicken, celery, apple, cranberries, and walnuts 

-Basque lamb stew made by descendants of immigrants from the Basque country in Spain and France 

-Yellowstone drug store vanilla shake – a great way to end a day of hiking 

Cooks interested in expanding their repertoire might enjoy A Taste of Wyoming by Pamela Sinclair to relive grand moments in Wyoming and eat well, too. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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