DONNELLY, IDAHO — As you drive around Idaho's back roads this time of year, you might just notice foraging in the mountains. It is huckleberry season in Idaho, and people will spend hours harvesting the revered fruit.
"Huckleberries have an amazing flavor," said Allison Hatzenbuhler "And you can make so much with them: huckleberry pancakes, huckleberry margaritas, huckleberry Jello shots, I make a huckleberry glaze that goes over chicken breasts when you grill them, barbecue sauce that is huckleberry based. There are so many things you can do with it, it's amazing."
But don't plan on planting huckleberries in your garden. They only grow in the wild. If you want to know where to find a fruitful patch, you'll probably have to spend some time driving and hiking through the mountains. And while we Idahoans are known for being friendly and helpful, getting someone to show you their favorite spots might not be as easy as you think.
The good news is, even if you are unable or unwilling to spend the time and effort to find huckleberries you can still enjoy their deliciously unique flavor. This Saturday Donnelly is hosting a celebration of everything huckleberry. The annual Huckleberry Festival is Donnelly's day in the sun.
"Because Donnelly becomes Valley County's feature of the weekend, whereas it's normally McCall or Cascadec" said Sherry Scheline. "So it becomes Donnelly's weekend."
