The dream of moving to Montana and then shipping our gourmet goodies to all points of the United States was never imagined. But here we are nestled in beautiful northwest Montana, doing what we truly love. A great treasure of our area is the huckleberry!! A great staple of the Grizzly Bear's diet, picking them can be an adventure in itself. They grow wild and this wonderful berry started us on our baking, EATING, and shipping adventures. Thanks for visiting our web site for Montana Muffins.
See below for Information about HUCKLEBERRIES.
About The Huckleberry !!
Often confused with the blueberry due to its close resemblance, huckleberries are a wild blue-black berry. Although very similar in taste, the big difference is the seeds within the huckleberry that give it a crunchy texture when fresh and its thicker skin. The flavor is a little more tart than blueberries, with an intense blueberry flavor. Huckleberries are not cultivated commercially, so you will have to find them in the wild. The entire fruit is edible...no need to remove the seeds. Huckleberries can be used interchangeably in most blueberry recipes, so if you find yourself with a huckleberry harvest, just choose a blueberry recipe and give it a whirl. Huckleberry season is normally from June through August. To harvest a large quantity, spread a clean cloth on the ground and shake the plant; ripe fruits will drop onto the cloth. Store at temperatures just above freezing with high humidity.
Montana's World Famous Huckleberries
During the summer and fall, wild huckleberries grow abundantly in Montana. Bears love huckleberries, and they are a big part of both the grizzly and the black bear’s diet. Huckleberries are also one of Montana's original "gourmet" people foods
Huckleberries can be found in baked goods, jellies and preserves, pies, syrups, sauces, even soaps and lotions. Huckleberries are not cultivated in fields, but grow wild on the mountains and in Montana's beautiful forests. The name "huckleberry" is used by many people to identify wild blueberries.
Huckleberries are related to blueberries, but are quite different. Blueberries have many small, soft, barely discernible seeds, while huckleberries have ten large seeds that are much tougher. As to color, huckleberries are blackish blue or red-black - a kind of a purple color, and blueberries are blue to dark blue. Some people call the red-black huckleberry the "southern cranberry".
Huckleberry trivia
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Another name for the huckleberry is "bilberry". During World War II, British pilots ate bilberries before night flights to enhance their vision. Huckleberries are also useful treating diarrhea, hemorrhoids and sugar metabolism problems. 
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Huckleberries have pink flowers and blueberries typically have white flowers.
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Huckleberries were used by indigenous Indians as a source of food and as dyes.
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Huckleberries only grow in the wild, and local pickers compete with bears for their crop and call huckleberries "purple gold". A gallon of huckleberries usually sells for between $15 and $30, but in poor harvest years they can fetch almost $50.
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No one has yet succeeded in growing huckleberries commercially. Because of this, huckleberries are a true "natural food" as no fertilizers or pesticides are used.
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Huckleberry was a turn of phrase from the early 1800's used to describe something modest or inferior. Huckleberry Finn was the name given by Mark Twain to his character in Tom Sawyer designating a fellow of lower social standing than Tom. "I'm your huckleberry" was a popular expression of affection in the late 1800's, and don't forget "Huckleberry Hound", a cartoon show from the late 1950s featuring a laid-back dog.
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One little known huckleberry fact is that the leaf of the huckleberry is used by naturopathic practitioners to treat sugar diabetes, and disorders of the kidneys and gallbladder. The active principle in both is neomyrtilicine. Huckleberries contain tannins and anthocyanins which improves vision and stimulates circulation by strengthening capillaries.
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