Heirloom Foodie

Welcome to Heirloom Foodie. Headed up by Kristen Lee-Charlson of Edible Missoula Magazine fame, this blog will help you discover new and exciting ways to enjoy local grown, sustainably harvested food products.

Kristen has been the publisher of edibleMISSOULA magazine for the past 4 years, a publication celebrating the bounty of local seasonal foods and farming. She is an accomplished chef, caterer and home-cook. As a mother, she is dedicated to educating and empowering others about traditional food preparation and the joy and economy of eating local. She sits on the board of the Community Food & Agriculture Coalition of Missoula County (CFAC) and serves on the Montana Food Systems Council; as well as being a strong advocate for more localized and sustainable food system. She is working on a new venture – the Heirloom Projectexploring traditional foods, farming & modern homemaking.

View the latest blog posts below.

 

Vote With Your Fork

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - One of our very core rights as human beings i... more

How to Eat Local & Stay Healthy

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON -Eating local means contributing to the local e... more

Frugal Foodie: Intentional Leftovers

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - In times of economic struggles, often people ... more

Edible Weeds–If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Eat ‘Em!

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Fields of the pretty yellow flowers in the lawn; are they really so bad? Dandelion leaves, flowers, stems and roots are all edible if you have an organic yard!... more

Heirloom Winter Farmers’ Market Back in Full Swing

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - The Heirloom Winter Farmers’ Market is back on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, January through April at the Missoula Fairgrounds.... more

A Return to the Ninemile Schoolhouse…an Heirloom Legacy Continues

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Missoula's Heirloom Foodie is re-opening the Ninemile Schoolhouse and and renting the historic landmark for writers retreats, weddings and more. ... more

I Am An Egg Snob…

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Until recently I thought my chickens' laying lives were over. Imagine my surprise when I discovered over a dozen eggs hiding behind a pile of outdoor furniture. These yolks are the dar... more

The Politics of food, Being an AG-Tivist

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - Why HB574 is Important: When it comes to fresh milk and dairy products, I want to be able to support the farmer(s) of my choice and procure the foods that I believe to be healthful for... more

Heirloom Market Celebrates Official Grand Opening January 26th

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - On January 26th, the Heirloom Market is holding its official Grand Opening at the Missoula County Fairgrounds. Come celebrate with us!... more

Introducing the Heirloom Winter Market

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON - On Saturday, I launched the Heirloom Winter Market, a sort of extension of the local farmers' markets which had their last day of the season the week prior.... more

More Zucchini?!?! – Try This Sweet Zucchini Relish Recipe

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. You know that you've reached your threshold with zucchini when you resort to making zucchini bread. There is only so much of this prolific garden wonder that one family or person can ea... more

Dilly Beans – Preserving the Summer Bounty

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. One of my favorite ways to enjoy the taste of summer long after the first snow flies, is by opening a jar of Dilly Beans, a recipe from a cult classic book on fermentation - Wild Fermen... more

Cooking with Lavender from Local Growers Part II

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. Part II of The Heirloom Foodie's series on cooking with luscious lavender. If cooking with lavender seems like a stretch, try creating your own Herbes de Provence seasoning mix.... more

Cooking with Lavender from Local Growers

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. Last Saturday I chatted with Paula Scoggins of Paula's Gardens and Lori Parr, AKA Lavender Lori - both together known as the Lavender Queendome. Lori and Paula have joined forces to wor... more

Missoula’s Clark Fork River Market

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. This weekend I hit the motherlode at the Clark Fork River Market. My bags were overflowing - the coolers too. Even with all of this rain and little sunshine, our farmers and ranchers ha... more

Local Grass-Finished Beef – It’s What’s for Dinner (or Breakfast or Lunch)

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. Discover the health benefits of Grass Finished Beef, and meet a local producer.... more

Growing Good Eats in the Garden City

By KRISTEN LEE-CHARLSON. After a long winter the farmers’ market season is finally here. I love all things about local food–the flavor of the strawberries, the long wait in winter for spring’s first radis... more