At the risk of slandering this seasonal magazine’s thematic crux, winter in the Flathead Valley can stretch on drearily; its impenetrable grays, fleeting days and bracing chill tests the hibernal fortitude of even the hardiest year-round residents. Meanwhile, we rely on life’s simple pleasures to lift their moods — a little holiday decor here, a happy light there, and dinner gatherings galore.
Indeed, even on the darkest days, food and its communal traditions are guaranteed to brighten our daily lives, drawing us out of our hunched postures, filling our bellies and reanimating our spirits.
To recognize the Flathead Valley’s food-forged fellowship, each season at Flathead Living we turn our editorial attention toward sharing our latest batch of delicious discoveries. We interview inspired restaurateurs, ply the region’s premier chefs for their secrets, poke around little-known markets for exotic ingredients, and sneak through alleyway entrances to explore uncharted speakeasies.
This winter, in order to highlight our favorite bites and beverages, we’re reviewing some of our best-read food-and-drink-related stories of the past year.
Bon appetit!
Ed McGrew’s BBQ
While purveyors of barbecue tend to be a secretive bunch, Whitefish’s premier smoke-master, Ed McGrew, let spring a few leaks in the days leading up to the holidays.
Prepping for a busy season slinging expertly seasoned and smoked brisket, pork, prime rib and turkey in the Flathead Valley and beyond, McGrew shared his philosophy on barbecue culture.
“Give a man some barbecue and feed him for a day. Teach a man to barbecue and feed him for the year,” he said of his motive for sharing his secrets, a term he insists is a misnomer.
In the Flathead Valley, McGrew is well-known for his meaty magnanimity, as well as for his signature smoking style, which he’s continued to refine from his kitchen on Spokane Avenue in Whitefish, where he operates Ed McGrew’s Barbecue and Custom Catering.
Check out his Facebook page to place a personal order or schedule a mouth-watering catering event, or holler at your neighbor — most of McGrew’s business comes word-of-mouth.
Cutthroat Bagel Company
From his little bagel shop at 28 Lupfer Avenue in Whitefish, Dan Moe has been doing big things; most notably, slinging bagels and schmear six days a week while delighting customers with his “rip and dip” method of eating bagels (rather than slice a bagel and toast it, Moe encourages diners to tear off a hunk and dip it into a 2-ounce schmear container).
The popularity of the rip-and-dip options soared to bold new heights last fall when the federal government shutdown, bumping benefits distributed through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to the back burner and straining food-access programs and, especially, families who rely on the benefits to make it through the month.
Enter Cutthroat Bagel Co., which on Nov. 2 dropped the following post on social media: “Looks like SNAP benefits may not be going out for a while. We want our friends and neighbors to know that as long as they withhold your benefits, we’re here for you. Order yourself and the kids a Rip and Dip bagel and schmear and when it’s time to pay, let our staff know ‘My neighbors got me,’ because that’s what neighbors do.”
According to Moe, the Whitefish eatery “had our busiest day in months” following the announcement and has sold out of bagels at a breakneck pace all week “because this community supports a good idea.”
Cutthroat Bagel Co. is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, or until they sell out — a reality that may disappoint stragglers, but bodes well for bagels.
Follow along on Instagram @cutthroatbagelco.
Pete’s Fried Chicken
Pete Barbera’s drive-up lunch spot keeps it simple with a limited menu and hand-fried chicken sandwiches.
His drive-up chicken joint outside of Columbia Falls, Pete’s Fried Chicken, boasts only a few menu items –– the chicken sandwich, chicken bites and fried fish sandwich. Pete’s is drive-up only, cash only (unless someone offers a good barter) and a one-man show.
“Too many people these days try and reinvent the wheel,” he said.
For $13 (Pete’s is cash only), patrons get a fried chicken sandwich on a toasted bun, topped with Carolina slaw and your choice of seasonings and sauces.
Open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pete’s is located at 37 Arcadia Way on the outskirts of Columbia Falls. For the latest updates, follow @petesfriedchixmt on Instagram.
Backslope Brewing
Heading into its 10th year in Columbia Falls, Backslope Brewing flipped the script by revamping its menu to feature a mix of Mediterranean-inspired eats like the falafel bites alongside an enduring stable of fan favorites, including mouth-watering cameos from A-list stars like the Fried Chicken Sandwiches and highly anticipated plate appearances from seasonal specials like the house-made winter veggie burger and its signature Sriracha mayo drop.
The result has been a tantalizing twist on a decade of deliciousness, proving that this beloved brewery has the confidence to rotate its menu and bend gustatory genres while still playing the tried-and-true hits.
Backslope Brewing is located at 1107 9th Street West, along U.S. Highway 2, in Columbia Falls. The restaurant and brewery is usually open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For a look at the latest menu or to get the most current hours, visit backslopebrewing.com or call (406) 897-2850.
Tex and Jerry’s
Located at 8942 Highway 2 East in Hungry Horse, Tex and Jerry’s was inspired by the town’s mighty namesake steeds who nearly starved during the turn of the 20th century. Thus, they were dubbed the “Mighty Hungry Horses,” and in time they became the namesake for the town of Hungry Horse. It’s fitting, then, that Hungry Horse’s newest restaurant is earning a reputation for its mighty portions and extended hours such that no customer need ever go hungry.
Situated in a location that formerly housed the vegan restaurant Dan d’Lion, Tex and Jerry’s is the project of partners Neil Curtis, Steve Arons, Jeff Johnson, and Ted Thovson, who tapped chef Mike Scallen, formerly the chef and bartender at the Columbia Bar, to run the kitchen alongside his wife, Andrea.
Scallen had a devoted following at the Columbia, due in no small part to his storied Taco Tuesdays, which Tex and Jerry’s has revived; it starts every Tuesday at 4 p.m..
Unfortunately, Tuesday only comes once a week; fortunately, customers hungry during the other six days can find plenty to satisfy their appetites, including a pressed Cubano-style sandwich, a half-pound smashburger, and a classic reuben.
Tex and Jerry’s serves beer and wine, and carries the NFL ticket so it can broadcast every game. However, it maintains a family-friendly atmosphere and the proprietors encourage diners to bring the kids.
Check out the menu at texandjerrys.com.