Idaho PB&J Sandwiches Get Some Help From The Official State Fruit

Idaho may best be known for its russet potatoes grown in the Snake River Plain near the lowlands of the Blackfoot Mountains, but spuds aren't the only flavor-rich crop grown in the state's mountainous terrain. Huckleberries have been beloved as Idaho's best kept secret for at least a generation, and they're so popular that Gem State legislators named the sweet berries Idaho's official state fruit in 2000.

Idahoans dedicate entire festivals to huckleberry-themed recipes, where they cook up everything from pies to pancakes stuffed with the sumptuous forest berry. Idaho's love for huckleberries runs so deep that the state has developed a special twist on the iconic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, spreading huckleberry jam (not grape or strawberry jelly) on their bread slices opposite the PB. It's a regional variant on the tried and true American classic that's so tasty, Delish magazine rated it the state's most iconic sandwich. 

It's a recipe as simple as it is popular. Just slather some huckleberry jam on a slab of Wonder Bread and smash it against another slice smeared with your choice of peanut butter — hard to mess that up. Idahoans swear by this tasty snack and likely enjoy it with chips made from some of the state's famous potatoes. We love the idea of a grilled huckleberry and crunchy PB sandwich any day of the week.

Huckleberry jam is a spread with a perfect blend of sweet and tart flavors that tastes like a mix of blueberry and blackberry marmalades. It's made from berries handpicked from farms in Idaho and other states like Oregon and Montana. The humble huckleberry is an underrated berry that also sprouts in the wild in certain parts of Yellowstone National Park and can grow at high altitudes in the Rocky Mountains. The most common and popular species that grows in Idaho is a thin-leaved black huckleberry (they turn purple after they ripen) with a mild, semi-sweet taste.

The reason huckleberry jam is a fan favorite of residents in Mountain West states like Idaho is because of the ideal conditions for the fruit to flourish there. Beyond the pristine lakes, glaciers, and picturesque landscapes that make the Rockies a beautiful place, the environment is also fertile turf for huckleberry seeds. The same Snake River Plain that ripens Idaho's potato belt offers the volcanic soil and high altitude that make for a rich huckleberry season. Oddly enough, snow is the final piece of the puzzle. A thick snowfall blankets the wild berries in the Blackfoot Mountain range every winter, insulating the fruit from Idaho's frigid temperatures, allowing them to thrive the cold winter fronts.