Yes, we just had the Spring Equinox, but in this neck of the woods, it's not all blooming flowers, chirping birds and sunshine on the 20th of March. In fact, I'd say that it's still distinctly cold weather- hot cocoa weather, if you will.

That's why I picked this up- Hearthside Cocoa Company's All Natural Gourmet Hot Cocoa.   Yuuummm.

Here's how you make it...

I also picked up a little Green and Black's 70% Bittersweet Dark Chocolate for a garnish. And what isn't good with a little whipped cream?

Did I mention how local they are? Hearthside is headquartered exactly one click north of the Outdoor Gourmet manufacturing facility.  Stay warm ('cause dry is a little too much to ask) this spring with Hearthside Cocoa Company's All Natural Gourmet Hot Cocoa.   -KB

Idaho- as the license plate proudly boasts, a state famous for potatoes, but the 43rd state admitted into the union has a couple other things going for it besides its tubers. As we native Idahoans know, the Gem State has killer ski resorts, pristine wilderness, and a world-class river system. Our whitewater is so sought after that the Snake, Selway, Middle and Main Fork of the Salmon River require permits, while the St. Joe, Lochsa, Moyie, Clearwater Rivers are free for the unscheduled paddling.

So, when I was offered a free spot on a seven-day paddle of the Main Salmon, you can imagine I jumped at the opportunity. In the first week of August, five duckies (inflatable kayaks), one hardshell kayak, two catarafts, one paddleboat, a vintage bucket boat and twelve paddlers put in at Corn Creek and set out with almost 100 miles of river until the take out.

The Salmon River flows through the second deepest gorge on the continent, one fifth of a mile deeper than the Grand Canyon. Lewis and Clark / Corps of Discovery ventured down the Salmon River just after crossing the continental divide, christening it The River of No Return.

Renowned for its big water, the Salmon has hydraulics comparable to the Colorado. The rapids range from class III-IV during normal flows, but a couple hit class V when in flood. As a river rookie, it was news to me that each rapid is dubbed with a name, along with a classification. Names like Whiplash, Mallard, Elkhorn, Chittam, Vinegar and my personal favorite, Dried Meat, get thrown around at camp while reviewing the day's water to come and recounting epic saves and spills. For my part, there were more epic spills than saves.
But for all the river water I sucked, it was made up in delicious river fare made one of our camp-kitchen savvy meal teams. Each meal team was responsible for a breakfast, lunch, and dinner... and what more appropriate meal for my team to make but cedar planked salmon. I even soaked the planks in the Salmon River.

We averaged 12 miles a day, with frequent stops for rapid scouting, hot springs, and even a couple pictographs. On day three on the river, we stopped at Buckskin Bill's compound, which now has a museum and a general store that sells ice cream. It was the hottest day of the trip and both of the root beer floats I pounded were worth every penny of the $6 a piece.

Known as the last of the mountain men, Buckskin Bill built himself a defense tower against the U.S. Forest Service. At a time, the USFS was pushing to make the entire stretch along the Salmon into wilderness area. Buckskin Bill's sniper tower and museum is an ode to the quintessential Idahoan NRA member, daring the feds to pry his well-crafted, albeit homemade firearms from his cold, dead hands.

To the chagrin of the Forest Service, Buckskin Bill survived the rest of his days in the harsh environment of the Salmon River Canyon, raising his own food and crafting his own weapons and utensils until 1980.

Each evening, after the unpacking of kitchen and the groover (river toilet), everyone skattered to claim their piece of sandy beach. Some had tents, but I opted for the blue tarp and sleeping bag option. There was only two nights of lightening and torrential downpours. This was the trip of a lifetime and I can hardly wait to return to The River of No Return.

Welcome to your weekend! -KB

Early August in North Idaho- the water is finally a tolerable temperature to swim and the huckleberries are at their peak. This time also means tipsy tourist and Sandpoint scenesters alike turn out for the big summer event- The Festival at Sandpoint.

Each year, a local artist designs a fine art poster for the event. This year's artist was Carver Kearney.

Tunes, chow, and waterfront views kicked off at Memorial Flied Thursday Aug. 5th and continued on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Everyone gets a breather for Monday through Wednesday, only to crank back up for a raucous second week.
This year, the line-up is...

Week One

Thursday- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Ever popular local band Tennis opened)
Friday- Brandi Carlile
Saturday- Keb' Mo'
Sunday- Children's Concert: Peter and the Wolf

Week Two

Thursday- Natalie MacMaster
Friday- Michael Franti and Spearhead
Saturday- Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Sunday- Grand Finale Concert: Russian Masterpieces

I've already hit up Keb' Mo' and I have tickets for Franti and the NGDB! I can barely wait.

Feeling Festive, Part 2

The big white tent" shook, rattled and rolled for a booty-shaking good time on Friday the 13th. Michael Franti and Spearhead rocked a sold-out show on a clear night perfect for taking in some tunes and the Perseids Meteor Shower simultaneously.

The following night, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band delighted the crowd with old favorite such as Fishin' in the Dark, Mr. Bojangles, and Will the Circle Be Unbroken, along with some fun, yet funky covers.

Tonight, the symphony will play and the finale fireworks mark the end of another fabulous Festival at Sandpoint. What a good time, what a great line up! I can't wait for the big white tent to go up again.

I was supposed to go camping over the weekend, but forces conspired against me and the plan was kiboshed. Crestfallen, I trudged back up to my mountain perch. I opened the door and... Holy Expletive Batman! I've been robbed! The condo was sacked and my junk had been scattered.

Wait. Scratch the burglary theory- the TV was still there along with my Kitchen Aid Mixer and Le Creuset enamel (what? don't most burglars know their cookware?). Along with everything being scattered about, the carpet was torn up in several spots and a liberal amount of pasta and oatmeal had been strewn about. Then what could have made this mess... Oh my god! Bear in the White Pine Condo Complex! Retreat!

And as I was about to boogie on out of there in favor of somewhere a little less bear-ridden, when I noticed a trail of droppings that seemed petite, even by baby bear standards. Upon further investigation, the culprit was spotted. Ground Squirrel? Prairie Dog? Well, whatever it was, the well-fed member of the rodentia family had taken up residence in the fold-out couch.

And as I was about to boogie on out of there in favor of somewhere a little less bear-ridden, when I noticed a trail of droppings that seemed petite, even by baby bear standards. Upon further investigation, the culprit was spotted. Ground Squirrel? Prairie Dog? Well, whatever it was, the well-fed member of the rodentia family had taken up residence in the fold-out couch.

Feeling like Nathan Lane in the 1997 Disney epic "Mouse Hunt," I spent the better part of Friday night/Saturday Morning chasing the intruder around with a Swiffer Duster extension and James the security guard who claimed "it was the most excitement he'd had in a while."

One Hugglie (generic form of the infomercial sensation the Snuggie. It was a re-gift.), multiple shrieks of rodent-induced fear, and a live trap later, the mess-maker was trapped like a rat. Because that's what it was. A Bushy-tailed Woodrat (Neotoma cinerea) to be precise, more commonly known as a Pack Rat.

How it got in? I have two theories. One- I leave the door open when it's nice for some fresh air and it may have just wandered in and got trapped when I shut the door.

Two- During the hunt, that dirty rat ran up into the wall to the right of the sink. There is a hole where the cabinet baseboard meets the wall. This is where the live trap was set in front of with an elaborate tunnel made of black garbage bags and the aforementioned Hugglie. The damage toll is as follows:

Couch- more than vaguely musty, even after copious amounts of febreeze. The pack rat had made a nest out of whole wheat spaghetti, toilet paper, and one of every earring I own.

Carpet near both doors- moderate chew-age.And what does all this have to do with food, more specifically Outdoor Gourmet Grilling Planks? Drum roll for this week's recipe please!

Cedar Planked Woodrat with Shallots and Herbs

Ingredients:

1 well-fed pack rat (they seem to thrive on pistachios, pasta, and toilet paper)

1 Outdoor Gourmet Cedar or Hickory Grilling Plank

2 Shallots

3 Cloves of Garlic

Fresh Rosemary, Thyme, cracked black pepper, and sea salt to taste

Ok, so I actually didn't cook it.

Here's wishing you an infestation-free weekend! -KB

Disclaimer: No rodents were harmed in the making of this blog. Once caught, Woody the Woodrat (I even named him.) was released back onto the 4th floor. KIDDING! Actually, he was released back outside, if indeed outside was where he came from. It was basically like a scene from Free Willy or Born Free. For any of you who do decide to grill up some rodents, the Outdoor Gourmet is in no way responsible for the contraction of Hantavirus, Rabies, squAIDS, or the Bubonic Plague.

Not to brag, but I live on Schweitzer Mountain, which is part of the Selkirk Mountain Range, a sub-range of the Rockies. I'm all sorts of "Rocky Mountain High" most the time sitting around 6,400 ft.! Residing here lets me live out my life-long dream of being a ski bum, whilst still being a somewhat-contributing member of society. (My contribution is, of course, making the world a better place one cedar-planked entree at a time.)

In the winter, there is skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and other snowy fun to be had up here. In the summer, there's hiking, biking, huckleberry picking, and music festivals to take in. This past weekend was The Mountain Music Festival, which was a whole day of bluegrass and BBQ.

Here are some photos we snapped while playing the 9-hole Folf course and just cruisin' around before the music started.

According to Wikipedia- Schweitzer Mountain was named after an old, Swiss hermit who lived at the bottom of the basin. "Schweizer" is German for Swiss and the name evolved to "Schweitzer" and stuck. As part of a crime investigation, the Schweizer hermit's house was raided and searched, yielding the bodies of numerous neighborhood cats that had gone missing. According to legend, the man enjoyed cat stew; Mr. Schweitzer was soon hauled off to the asylum and forgotten, but his name remains...

What, really? No, but seriously? I thought the name was a tip of the hat to the Swiss Alps or maybe they named it after Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the philanthropist. Anyway, enough about crazy/geriatric Swiss dudes.

During the ski season, Schweitzer runs seven lifts: a high-speed six-pack, two high-speed quads, one fixed-grip triple, three doubles and a T-bar. In the summer, the Great Escape Quad is fired up for hikers who just want to go down hill. My feet are in high-top hikers, second nearest to the lens...

Welcome to your weekend. -KB

Can't say it enough- Outdoor Gourmet is the OG! Not only are we the original, but we're the sustainable and authentic choice. Here's why...

Our competitors (more like imitators) simply cannot measure up for one simple reason. Cedar- it grows here! Western Red Cedar (Thuja Plicata) is an indigenous species of the Pacific Northwest and other producers of similar products are wearing hard on their "carbon karma" by using first-cut timber from Canada, then shipping it to China for processing, then back to east coast for distribution.

Instead of using first-cut timber, we recycle "seconds" and waste pieces from local mills that own tree farms that are managed for a sustainable yield. Our beautiful product is hand-selected from this post-production cedar and we are careful to cut around any defects. The grade of cedar that we salvage our planks from lumber that cannot be used by construction or artisan craftsman industries, and is therefore destined for the burn pile. This gleaning process is a lot like cutting a bad spot out of apple or pear that then yields perfect fruit.

Sustainability also means being part of an authentic community. We provide living-wage manufacturing jobs to families that would otherwise be priced out of our resort area. All phases of manufacturing and packaging occur in our Sandpoint facility. This means that our team has to be very productive in order to compete with the offshore producers that don't pay American living-wages. This very productivity is the economic proof of sustainability. Our local manufacturing and control also ensures that our grilling planks are 100% pure.

Choose the sustainably option. Choose the Made in the USA option. Choose the North west Pure Outdoor Gourmet for your Cedar Grilling Planks! Welcome to your weekend. - KB

Sandpoint, Idaho- my home town and "world headquarters" of our family-owned business Outdoor Gourmet. Conveniently located smack-dab between Lake Pend Oreille and Schweitzer Mountain Resort, weekends are tough to schedule because there are more than a couple good options. Nestled in a valley where the Selkirks, the Green Monarchs, and the Cabinet Mountains converge, this leaves great outdoor activities in any direction you turn.

So this weekend, up Trestle Creek Road I went to quick 6 mile hike to Lake Estelle, one of four Lakes (Moose, Gem and Blacktail Lake being the others), then over to Lunch Peak Fire Lookout. The Brookies at Lake Estelle were biting on the mosquito wet fly, but they were just little guys, so they were saved a cedar-y, yet delicious, demise.

The Northwest is the real deal. Sorry everywhere else.

Welcome to your weekend! -KB

Celebrating independence with RED wine, teeth that used to be WHITE, moving more towards purplish-BLUE. Bit of a stretch? Maybe so, but Happy 4th of July all the same!

This is the view from my deck here at Schweitzer Mountain Resort as we wait for the sun to go down and the fireworks to begin!

Welcome to your INDEPENDENCE DAY weekend! -KB

Yeah, that me in the Bee Suit because at the Outdoor Gourmet, we are sweet on local honey; so much so that I am writing tasting notes for our pals at Sweet Bee Honey Co. in the classic wine tasting method. Check 'em out.

Welcome to your weekend. -KB

Honey is nature’s own sweetener, packed with healthy enzymes, vitamins, and antioxidants and comes in many different varieties, ranging in color, flavor and body, depending on the floral source and time of year. And crystallization is natural! Raw honey, when unaltered with extra water or additives, forms sugar crystals. Just warm it up to transform it to its original liquid form.

High Summer Knapweed Honey

Found abundantly in the northwest, Russian or Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea Maculosa) blooms purple during the height of summer. Our colonies grow vibrant while working this plentiful plant, which produces dark gold honey.

The aromas of Knapweed Honey can be likened to a wheat field on a hot day- sweet and grassy. Followed by soft caramel notes, this medium-bodied honey is easily paired with just about anything.

Buckwheat Honey Reserve

Clusters of white flowers frost the Buckwheat (F. esculentum Moench) fields of Washington in Spring. This crop is grown almost solely for the production of Japanese Soba Noodles and produces a beautiful, dark auburn honey.

Earthy aromas, dark and rich, make Buckwheat the fullest bodied and most complex honey we produce. Molasses, tobacco, and cinnamon notes warm the pallet and make for a robust, smoky finish.

Limited Early-Harvest Blackberry Blossom Honey

Blackberry blossom honey is the purest and most rare honey produced in the great Northwest. Nectar collected from the thorny brambles of the Himalayan Blackberry (rubus armeniacus) creates this monofloral honey that drips from the comb translucent and nearly colorless. Once it’s packed, a faintly opaque and blonde hue makes it obvious why this is our reserve label product.

Clean, crisp lemongrass aroma, followed by soft floral and melon notes is what sets this honey apart as one of our most premium products. A hint of sumac adds a rich, full flavor on the finish, giving depth to this light-bodied honey.

Late-Harvest Star Thistle Honey

Harvested from scrubby, sun-colored flower of the prickly yellow star thistle (centaurea solstitialis), this is our lightest-bodied honey. With a tropical fruit and fresh-pressed comb aroma, this is a highly sought-after flavor by avid honey connoisseurs.

Northwest Alfalfa Honey

Rolling hills of bluish-purple alfalfa bloom cover the landscape of Eastern Oregon in early summer. The nectar from Alfalfa (medicago sativa) creates this rich, monofloral honey, clear and golden.

Warm, earthy aromas of cloves and spiced peaches fetch imagery of the staple crop from which it’s harvested. Smooth on the pallet, this medium-bodied honey is abounding with summertime flavors.

To find this high-quality, local product, visit www.sweetbeehoneyco.com.

After over a decade and numerous knock-offs, we are here to raise our hand and say “we are the original.” Outdoor Gourmet introduced the first cedar grilling plank in 1998 and we’ve been planking and playing outside ever since.

So here I am, to write about just that.

The purpose of this blog is to document the northwest lifestyle as it relates to food and the great outdoors. My goal is to experiment with outdoor cooking methods, cruise the fodder at festivals, frequent barbecues, patronize potlucks, review restaurants, and invent recipes. I will hunt, gather, grow, pick, scavenge, forage, and otherwise procure local northwest ingredients all in the name of top-notch nosh and good company.

Each weekend, I aim to post my culinary conquests and gastronomic gaffes to hopefully enthuse you about what a great place we live in and all the enticing food fare choices that it provides. Welcome to your weekend. -KB