An Amish girl stirs a campfire stew with the Mission Mountains looming in the background.
If there is an Amish church with a more beautiful backdrop than here, I don't know where it would be (well, Pearisburg, VA and Patten, Maine would be close....
By Kevin Williams
One of my favorite Amish communities is the one in St. Ignatius, Montana.
The first thing that strikes a visitor to the St. Ignatius settlement is the beauty. Stunning vistas of the Mission Mountains are a constant. Most of the Amish homes are wedged right up against the base of the mountains which rise dramatically from the valley floor.
Many of the Amish of St. Ignatius have deep family ties back in Ohio, so these Amish will hop onto commercial flights and travel. Most Amish churches do not permit air travel. Food in this settlement ranges from traditional to local, with wild game from the mountains and fresh huckleberries being found on menus frequently.
The hub of the settlement, especially for visitors and tourists, is the Mission General Store. The store is quite similar to Amish bulk food stores out east.
The store is “a jungle of a store with a country attitude,” says owner Delbert Bontrager.
He opened the place in 2003, and it i stocked with unusual and sometimes random items. Occasionally a local Amish baker will sell cinnamon rolls, homemade deliciousness, from a table on the front porch.
“Where there are Amish or Mennonite communities, you can find these sorts of stores,” Bontrager said.
- 2 pounds moose steaks
- 2 teaspoons meat tenderizer salt
- 1 16 ounce bottle Italian dressing
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- salt
- Sprinkle both sides of the streaks with the meat tenderizer salt.
- place the steaks and the dressing in a resealable plastic bag, seal tightly and marinate for 12 to 24 hours.
- Preheat a grill to high.
- Remove the steaks and discard the marinade.
- Season the steaks on both sides with paprika and salt and grill for 3 - 4 minutes per side depending on thickness.
He runs his store with the help of a few family members and others from the local Amish community. With all of the stocking and unloading, the pace can be hectic, but the employees are loyal because the work is interesting.He runs his store with the help of a few family members and others from the local Amish community. With all of the stocking and unloading, the pace can be hectic, but the employees are loyal because the work is interesting.
One thing that distinguishes Amish settlements out west from ones in the midwest is a much higher reliance on wild game for food. This is a recipe for marinated moose steaks that an Amish woman in Rexford, Montana gave me. Rexford is about 3 hours north of St. Ignatius.
- 2 pounds moose steaks
- 2 teaspoons meat tenderizer salt
- 1 16 ounce bottle Italian dressing
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- salt
- Sprinkle both sides of the streaks with the meat tenderizer salt.
- place the steaks and the dressing in a resealable plastic bag, seal tightly and marinate for 12 to 24 hours.
- Preheat a grill to high.
- Remove the steaks and discard the marinade.
- Season the steaks on both sides with paprika and salt and grill for 3 - 4 minutes per side depending on thickness.
Leave a Reply