summer 2001 : dining

Pure Gourmet Idaho

by Dana DuGan

Southern Idaho is mostly desert: sunny days and cold nights. Is it good for growing anything other than hay and the ubiquitous potato? Yes.

OK, is it possible, I wondered, to cook a gourmet meal completely of things organically grown in Idaho? Yes, again.

Vast agricultural areas can be found within 100 miles of the Wood River Valley, and several of these farms are certified organic. 

Organic refers to methods of growing and processing foods that rely on the earth’s natural resources. Pests and weeds are managed using earth-friendly means, such as beneficial insects and mechanical pest controls. Organic farmers build natural nutrients in the soil that help fertilize plants without reliance on synthetic fertilizers.

To maintain a certified organic grower certificate, a farmer must not use harmful chemicals for at least three years, must process foods using sustainable methods and growers and processors must keep detailed records of their practices.

Locally, the Community Supported Agricultural Program, run through the Sawtooth Botanical Garden, supplies shareholders with fresh, locally grown produce all summer and fall through Harvest for Harmony, an organization of growers. The markets have a plentiful array of Idaho-grown foods and locally produced items, such
as jams, mustards, sauces, wines, pancake mixes and grains. 

Additionally, fresh produce is sold weekly at the outdoor farmers markets in both Hailey and Ketchum. Two of the founding vendors of the Ketchum Farmers Market, Fred Brossy and Mike Heath, provided produce for our meal.

Local caterer and cooking teacher Lynn McCarthy of Cottonwood Deli agreed to cook up our organic, all-local-product, gourmet meal. The main course was a rack of lamb, accompanied by a pinto, small red and calypso bean dish and a potato, carrot and onion casserole.

Meadowlark Farms in Nampa supplied our rack of lamb. Janie Burns, proprietor of Meadowlark, says her sheep receive plenty of “exercise, fresh water and nutrias feed, shelter from heat and cold and attentive care.” To ensure the quality of her meat, she only sells lambs she has raised from birth. Her pastures are certified organic and herbicide free. 

Our chef added rosemary from Purple Sage Farms in Middleton to flavor the lamb.

The appetizer was a beautiful spread of Sun Valley Trout and Sun Valley Salmon. This company began more than 10 years ago in Tom and Lucy Hickey’s home. They now ship salmon and trout to restaurants and retailers nationwide.

We used Dorothy’s incredibly tasty Razzleberry Jam over Red Sky Ice Cream for our dessert: scoops of Pistachio, Ultimate Chocolate and White Chocolate Cranberry Ice Cream. Toni Deskins began Red Sky in Ketchum last year and now makes up to 22 different flavors and sells to at least eight restaurants in the Sun Valley area. 

And, of course, we tried several Idaho wines with our meal. The wines included selections from Sawtooth Winery and Hells Canyon Winery, a cabernet and a Johannesburg Riesling from St. Chapelle Winery and a Koenig Vineyards pinot noir. 

Idaho food can be as diverse as the many climates inherent in the state. Though the state is known mostly for its potatoes and sheep, a small town called Hagerman in the so-called banana belt of the state is doing its share to dispel that myth. Wines, fruits and vegetables spring from this small, Snake River Valley town. 

So, it’s no longer necessary to buy all our organic products from California. We can now buy all the ingredients for a dream meal right here in Idaho. And as cold-climate gardening guru Eliot Coleman said during a recent visit to the valley, “Exceptional food is one of the delights of being alive.”