Book: Flavors under the Big Sky

Combining a foundation of local ingredients with zesty elements from the kitchen of her Chinese-immigrant parents, Stella Fong provides an eclectic assortment of recipes in Flavors under the Big Sky (Arcadia, $27). Stella moved to Montana in 2000, and after discovering a bounty of meats, herbs, and vegetables native to our state, she realized that Montana offered a unique opportunity for culinary exploration. In this cookbook, you’ll find simple staples including grilled zucchini and butter lettuce salad, spins on savory classics like grilled corn with cilantro and lime butter sauce or bison sirloin steaks with coffee cocoa rub, and eclectic eats such as cherry tomato pesto salad with peaches and mozzarella. Along with these tasty recipes, the author portrays her love for storytelling through food by interlacing anecdotes of her experiences collaborating with local chefs.