By Christina Shepherd McGuire // Photography by Paulette Phlipot
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I have this thing I do in the summer. Every Friday morning, I visit the Teton Valley Farmers Market in Driggs to indulge in the local bounty and affirm my commitment to consuming only food produced within a 100-mile radius (at least seasonally). First, I get in line at Boondoggle Bread and Pastry’s booth because they sell out of their baked goods right away. (You snooze, you lose … and believe me, I’ve lost out many times!) Next, I peruse the offerings from local farms like Easy Acres, Canewater Farm, and Cosmic Apple Gardens, planning my weekly menu as I collect enough fresh fruit and veggies to overflow my basket. Lastly, I stop by the farm fromageries, Larks Meadow Farms and Winter Winds Farm, to grab delectable cheeses to enjoy later with my girlfriends.
At home, I cut the tops off my carrots and radishes — all the while taking in the beauty of the food I’ve acquired — before pulling out my cooler to pack the picks for that evening’s tailgating ritual with my local mom posse.
Each Friday afternoon, my friends and I meet at the chosen trailhead to pedal our bikes and leave our weekly woes behind. Sometimes we ride for hours on buffed-out singletrack, while other times we end up chit chatting more than actually riding. Either way, this therapeutic hang-out session always culminates with a happy-hour spread of fresh farmers market finds, some specialty add-ins, and everybody’s drink of choice. We all pull out our camp chairs (often creating a scene in Grand Targhee’s parking lot) and proceed to raise our post-workout blood sugar with satiating snacks between rounds of euphoric conversation.
I used to be the only one who cared enough to tote wooden boards, cheese knives, cloth napkins, and bottles of wine to the trailhead parking lot. (In fact, I was thinking about starting a business setting up elaborate trailside spreads for people.) But my friends soon caught on and started contributing their own unique offerings, like makeshift bento boxes filled with crudités, and silicone wine glasses, complete with a refreshing cocktail or mocktail.
I love this weekly gathering so much that I plan my purchases around it, devising new takes on backcountry boards to elevate the experience. My ideas incorporate tinned fish compilations (for possible inclusions, check out Food Shed Idaho in Victor) and sweet spreads that feature superfoods, like Gogi berries and dark chocolate, alongside herbed ricotta cheeses. This summer, in an attempt to be on-trend, I’m even making homemade butter to reproduce one of those gourmet butter boards all the TikTok foodies are raving about.
I’ve included a few easy recipes so you can get your backcountry boards started, too. Use my offerings as guidelines to turn your own favorite snacks into trailside, campfire, or backyard spreads sure to impress your friends. (Just don’t forget the tablecloth.)
Classic Board (with Farmers Market Finds)
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This board provides a local twist on the traditional charcuterie board, containing a mishmash of what’s in season. It can include anything from grapes to peaches and sheep’s brie to aged cheddar, all sourced locally — of course.
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1 pound mixed uncured salami and prosciutto
1 round Lark’s Meadow Farms Petite Dulcinea sheep’s cheese (can sub goat cheese)
½ pound Lark’s Meadow Farms Farmhouse Cheddar (or another favorite cheddar)
12 Leslie Stowe Rainforest Crisps fig and olive crackers
20 Mary’s Gone Cracker’s super seed crackers
12 Rustic Bakery olive oil & sel gris flatbread crackers
½ bunch champagne (or regular) grapes
¼ cup Chasing Paradise raw wildflower honey (or honey with comb)
10 Jeff’s Natural’s Castelvetrano olives
4 figs, fresh or dried
Tamari almonds
Local edible flowers
How to pack:
- Add cheese, meats, grapes, and flowers to a small cooler with cold packs.
- Grab a rustic wooden board or serving platter.
- Don’t forget a small bowl for honey, and cheese knives for cheeses.
Trailside assembly:
- Using a Yeti cooler (or your tailgate) as a tabletop, position the cheeses on opposite ends of the board or platter, fanning out
the cheddar. - Fold slices of meat into the center of the plate and tuck them in place with the grapes and the honey bowl.
- Fill out the board with crackers, nuts, olives, and edible flowers, and dig in!
Picnic Tailgate in a Box
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This is the type of spread you can house in a fancy “snacklebox” or pack away in a convenient metal storage container. Whatever your vessel, presentation matters, so choose items that complement each other and won’t fall apart. (See our play-by-play instructions.)
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½ round Winter Winds Tomme goat cheese
¼ pound Spanish manchego
8 slices uncured salami (I like Creminelli or Applegate Farms brands)
4 fresh strawberries, sliced
8 fresh raspberries
1 handful pistachios
1 container local jam or preserves
10 dried mangoes or apricots
3 sprigs rosemary or thyme
1 sliced 460 Bread baguette
How to pack:
- Assemble your “snack box” using our step-by-step instructions. Pack it in a cooler with cold packs or ice.
- Slice the bread (toast, if desired) and place it in a sealable bag.
*Recipe adapted from @cheeseboardqueen’s book, Around the Board
Step-by-Step Assembly:
Build the foundation of your box with cheeses and jam, then add texture and color as you go.
Herbed Butter Board
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Butter boards are incredibly trendy, especially with the “good fats” movement. This one, inspired by Natalie Thompson’s book The Grazing Table, contains fresh local herbs elevated by homemade butter. (If you can’t make it, sub softened pure Irish butter.)
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For the homemade butter:
2 ½ cups heavy cream (bonus if you can get it from a local dairy)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon fresh chives
- Place the cream in a food processor or stand mixer and process on medium speed for 4 to 5 minutes until the cream is overwhipped. Scrape the sides of the bowl and continue to process until the liquid separates from the cream and lumps of butter form.
- Scoop the butter from the bowl and save the buttermilk for another recipe.
- Place the butter in a bowl of ice-cold water and knead it to remove any remaining buttermilk. Change the water and continue kneading until the water remains clear.
- Shake off the excess liquid and place the butter in a clean bowl. Add salt and garlic and mix until combined; then add the herbs and mix again. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
For the Board:
1 quantity homemade butter (or 1 pound softened Irish butter with added herbs)
radishes, carrots, and celery sticks
½ 460 Bread ciabatta, torn into pieces
Fresh basil leaves
Chive flowers
How to pack:
- Add butter, veggie sticks, herbs, and flowers separately to a small cooler with cold packs.
- Pack a rustic wooden board or serving platter, a spatula, and butter knife (if desired).
- Tear the bread and place it in a sealable bag.
Trailside assembly:
- Using the spatula, spread the butter on the board or platter. Top it with basil leaves and chive flowers.
- Arrange the ciabatta pieces, radishes, carrots, and celery around the butter.
- To eat, dip the bread and veggies into the softened butter and enjoy!
*Recipe adapted from Natalie Thompson’s book The Grazing Table
