Monthly Hush 006: 3+3 tomato recipes, 2 local hikes, 1 tip for the organizationally challenged
This month from the land: tomatoes, trails, birthday hikes, and the deeply satisfying rabbit hole of getting things organized. We’ve been playing around in the kitchen with a whole lot of tomatoes (thanks to having the hook-up), because cooking is one of our favorite ways to get the creative muscles moving. We’ve also been exploring a little farther afield in the Bitterroot Valley, where a beautiful day on the trail somehow included being serenaded by strangers who quickly became hiking friends. Closer to home, the M on Mount Sentinel is one of those Missoula-area hikes that reminds us how much there is to explore right in our backyard—25 minutes from The Hohnstead, moderately challenging, and with a pretty great payoff. And because not all adventures involve mountains, there was also a weekend staycation in town that turned into nine glorious hours of organizing, which we’ve distilled into one very practical tip for the organizationally challenged. A little taste of what’s been happening around here lately, from our kitchen to the trails and all the wonderfully ordinary stuff in between.
Welcome back to our Monthly Hush stories from the land, the kitchen, the business, and behind the scenes of our lives here at The Hohnstead - our slice of heaven in the Montana woods. It’s a 3-2-1 monthly journal: fewer attempts to please the algorithmic overlords, more actual humans sharing things we’re excited about.
Thanks for being here.
In one of the earlier Hush posts from this year, we’ve mentioned Alla volunteering at Missoula’s Rocky Mountain Gardens (read more about it here: Monthly Hush 002: Pink Cabin, Chopra, and Growing Tomatoes).
The Hohnstead hosted its first annual potluck gathering for the tomato volunteers, and the creativity of the tomato-based recipes was impressive. In no particular order, I’d like to share with you three drinks and three food recipes that you may also like to experiment with in your own free time. Who would have thought that tomatoes can be so multi-faceted, outside of the traditional soups, stews, and Bloody Marys?
What is your favorite tomato recipe? Share in the comments below.
3 TOMATO-THEMED RECIPES FROM OUR POTLUCK:
Great smeared on a piece of toast with cream cheese. Makes for a savory breakfast with toast.
Definitely the most labor-intensive on this list, but it was a favorite at the potluck!
After having tremendous feedback on my deviled eggs with spicy avocado mayo while at a house party in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico, I researched other unique ingredients that can be included in the deviled eggs and created the recipe above for this party. In addition to the recipe above, I’ve added Sriracha, Kimchi juice, and diced pickles for crunch.
3 TOMATO-THEMED DRINKS
Makes for a bright and savory drink that is less heavy than tomato juice. Great with sparkling water or soda ( I mixed mine with Kombucha ) or combine with gin, vodka, or tequila for a savory cocktail.
Takes me back to the small Pueblo Magico town of Bernal, finding a restaurant overlooking the giant monolith and drinking a refreshing Michelada on a sunny day. It’s a yummy way to diversify your beer; just mix it with a variety of ingredients like Worcestershire sauce, limes, and Clamato (tomato cocktail juice).
Never having heard of tomato water before, I came across this recipe when researching things to make for our tomato-themed potluck. As it turns out, tomato water is used in dressings, cocktails, poaching liquid, finishing sauces, and cold soups. It apparently has some health benefits too (other than just being another step in a cooking method), so I just had to try making it.
How does tomato water taste? Fresh, bright, umami. Best part: there are no seeds, skins, or pulp to deal with.
I can see it being very refreshing on a hot afternoon or on a hike.
Speaking of hikes…
2 LOCAL HIKES (TO TAKE YOUR TOMATO WATER ON)
I just had to start with pictures, because when you hike in the Bitterroot Valley, pictures speak louder than words ever can. This is the Mill Creek Hike, near Hamilton, Montana. We covered a small distance of this otherwise 22-mile out-and-back, dog-friendly trail, but we still got some great views, creek views, and sadly no mountain goats spotted this time.
A little closer to the Hohnstead is the infamous “M trail on Mount Sentinel.” You can spot it from the airplane as you land in MSO, a popular background for photography sessions in Missoula, and an inspiration for many local artists. The M (stands for Montana) is a must-visit trail while in Missoula. It’s short, steep, dog-friendly, and the views of town are bar none!
1 STORAGE TIP FOR ORGANIZATIONALLY-CHALLENGED
If you’re a fellow Virgo, you know. If you’re not, chances are you have drawers drowning in stationery, art supplies, random tools, strangers’ business cards, half-used super glue tubes, and other items that are begging to live alongside their appropriate “family members.”
Recently, I volunteered my organizational abilities to our friend’s garage, which was overflowing with mom’s, dad’s, 2 kids’, and dog’s things. Things were hanging from the ceiling; things were stuffed on shelves on walls, but most annoyingly, they were also spread on the floor, making parking cars, lawnmowers, and general walking a challenge.
Nine hours of solo effort later, my little Virgo heart was happy to create a space that was more functional, bigger, and where stuff was much easier to find, because of this simple tip.
Put things of the same category together.
No fancy system. No Marie Kondo. Not spending thousands on individual containers and baskets because they look cute.
I bought three shelves second-hand for a total of $100.
Mic drop :)
If you missed previous Hush stories from the land, you can find all of them here.
Or enjoy these quick links below.
Monthly Hush 001: Red Foxes And Mint Beds
Monthly Hush 002: Pink Cabin, Chopra, and Growing Tomatoes
Monthly Hush 003:Pet stories, gifts that wow, and home-made bibimbap
Monthly Hush 004:Korean Feasts, Gooseberries & Curious Elk
Monthly Hush 005: 3 Friend hangouts nearby, Mother Nature videos, Shakshouka
Thanks for following along with our little corner of Montana. We never imagined this forest would become a place where we could share food, stories, wildlife sightings, and moments with people from around the world.
Until next month,
Alla & Garrett
