Distinctly Montana Magazine

RV Farms Daryl Lassila and David in Daryl's lentil fields near Great Falls Montana Caribe: The O'Halloran and Lohmuller families operate Maple Runner Farm near Lewistown. By Claudia Krevat B ecause I am from Colombia's Caribbean Coast, I was challenged by a foodie friend to recreate Latin American Flavors using locally sourced ingredients. I accepted the bet and invited her, her husband, and another couple to have dinner at our house. I had a week to design the menu and procure the ingredients. I made a list of the locally grown ingredients that were seasonally available and could be used in Latin-Caribbean recipes: they were corn, potatoes, lentils and chick peas, chiles and peppers, pumpkin and squashes, tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, lavender, and many other herbs and spices. Also beef, pork, chicken, and dairy products. From the many years of working in the local farmers' markets, I knew ranchers, growers, and farmers whom I could count on to fulfill my grocery list. After reaching out to them and explaining my mission, they gladly accepted to see me. I started out at Cat Starita's Mountain Top Garden located 15 miles west of Whitehall. Nestled in the Montana Rockies above 6,500 feet and close to the Continental Divine, this Mississippi native and her partner built an offthe-grid home where they could live off their surroundings. Using a high-tunnel greenhouse, Cat begins seeding spinach, kale in the winter, followed by other lettuce, medicinal, and culinary herbs in the spring. Inside the live-in shed, she dries herbs, tomatoes, and peppers without heat, allowing them to keep their moisture. Though growing cumin in this part of the country is a hard and almost impossible task, Cat has the perseverance to endure. After a few hours of visiting, I leave with a basket full of herbs and produce and my two key ingredients, cayenne powder and cumin. She sends me off with freshly made deviled eggs laced with wonderful spices and an embrace. Back on I-90 I head out towards Great Falls to meet up with Dave Oien from Timeless Food. I reach what is known as the Golden Triangle, Montana's richest and most productive agricultural area. The cool and dry environment allows for the best conditions in growing grains, seeds, and legumes. Timeless began in 1987 when a group of four pioneer farmers decided to experiment with a self-reseeding leguminous cover crop called the George Black Medic, developed by MSU's Dr. Jim Sims. Their goal was to introduce Watch Claudia cooking on ABC show DISTINCTL MONTANA | DIGITAL Y 42 www.distinctlymontana.com/claudia134 D I ST I N CT LY M ONTANA • FALL 2013

• Cover