It’s September – time for back-to-school, football games, corn mazes and pumpkin patches…but wait…there’s more. It’s Idaho Preferred Month and on Labor Day we will celebrate the Day of Idaho Food. How can you possibly fit all of this in just 30 days?

Here’s an idea…plan an Idaho Preferred tailgate party for Saturday’s Boise State v Georgia Game – or your local Friday night high school match-up. Then stock up on fresh local fruits and vegetables to enjoy at family barbeques on Monday and add to school lunch bags throughout the week.

September has been proclaimed Idaho Preferred month by Governor Otter because it is the peak of harvest season for many fruits and vegetables. This month you will find locally grown sweet corn, green beans, zucchini squash, tomatoes and cucumbers at local grocery stores including Paul’s Markets, Albertsons and Walmart. In addition, the fruit season is in full swing. Sweet juicy peaches and nectarines, plums, pluots and pears are now in stores and at Farmers Markets. Mid-month look for the first of the Idaho apples to appear in stores and be sure to try the Idaho table grapes. Larger and sweeter than imported varieties, these grapes are grown in small vineyards across the Treasure Valley and will find their way onto many school cafeteria trays in September.
 
Here’s is an easy Idaho Preferred Tailgate party menu: Start with tortilla chips from Casa Valdez in Caldwell with Treasure Valley Salsa while enjoying your favorite Idaho wine or beer. Then, get the grill out and throw on some baby back ribs from Hardball Farms, Falls Brand Hot dogs, Gem Pack Chorizo, burgers from Homestead Natural Beef or ribs from Weiser River Signature Beef (available at the Boise Co-op). Next to the meat, grill some Idaho sweet corn or fresh zucchini. Add an Idaho potato salad, barley salad or a fresh green salad with lettuce from Wissel Farms, cucumbers from the Berry Ranch and tomatoes from H&H Farms (or from you garden). Freshly baked Idaho breads and rolls from Alpicella Bakery, Great Harvest Bread or Zeppole Bakery are a great addition to your tailgate party. Now, add another Idaho wine and enjoy the game. At halftime, celebrate the BSU lead with an Idaho dessert of fresh sliced peaches and whipped cream or a blackberry or huckleberry cobbler. Then, enjoy the second half of the game and when it’s over, toast victory with Ste Chapelle’s sparkling Riesling - Idaho’s version of French Champagne – only better!