If you’ve ever visited the Pacific Northwest – Oregon, Washington, and Idaho – you have probably encountered the jewel of the PNW, luring tourists and locals alike from their summer street fairs and boating excursions to the small-town drive-ins that are sprinkled throughout more rural regions. That’s right – huckleberry milkshakes! Cool, refreshing, and just the right amount of sweet and tangy, the commercially made shakes will get you hooked; homemade will make you slave to their flavor. It’s been a tradition of ours even before we moved to Idaho to make regular outings to the regal stands of cedar in the mountains snaking across the Panhandle region; we spend countless hours working tirelessly throughout the season to pick huckleberries by the quart until we have a few gallons put up for later use. While they improve anything they’re added to, huck-shakes are a treat on the unforgettable level, and they’re surprisingly easy to make.

If you’d like to read my tips and tales of huckleberry picking see my post here.