BIG SKY

BY STEVE BRAMUCCI COUNTRY

The author rides on horseback through the Blackfoot Valley

s an avid fl y fi sherman, the chance up but the quality of food implied by the phrase to visit Montana’s Blackfoot River “Master Chefs” ran a close second. This annual conjured one clear image in my four-day event, held at the beginning of October, THE ANNUAL head: a thousand crystalline has gained increasing notoriety over the past seven dropletsA of water scattering as a trout fi ghts the years. There’s plenty of reason for the buzz – The MONTANA MASTER invisible line pulling it steadily toward shore. That Resort at Paws Up has done a great job attracting image comes courtesy of the book (and later, top-tier chefs from across the country to come CHEFS EVENT AT fi lm) A River Runs Through It, which is set on the and share their skills. These chefs are each paired Blackfoot and has long been a part of the fl y fi sh- with a vineyard and together they present a meal, THE RESORT AT erman’s starter kit. Over the past 10 years, I have course by succulent course. When I booked my gone fl y fi shing at least 100 times and never once ticket I still didn’t have any details beyond “fi shing PAWS UP BRINGS have I gone without pausing to consider Norman and food” – but those alone were enough to send Maclean, the book’s author, and his brother, Paul, my anticipation skyrocketing. TOGETHER wading over rocks worn smooth by the current, After an easy fl ight and a 40-minute ride from casting in a four-count rhythm and hoping for a fi sh the Missoula Airport to the resort, I was delivered FINE FOOD AND to rise. to one of Paws Up’s stand-alone “wilderness In the spirit of Paul Maclean, a character who estates.” Put simply: It was wonderful. The cabin PASTORAL LIVING. Norman paints as endlessly unpredictable, my was well appointed and incredibly spacious, fi rst trip to Montana came together on a whim. I’d with no detail left unattended. It was a seamless rushed to cancel other plans and shuffl e fl ights the blend of fi ve-star luxury and pastoral living; at its second the offer to join the Montana Master Chefs heart it was still just a cabin in the woods, which at Paws Up had come along. The opportunity to is precisely what I loved about it. More than just fi sh on the Blackfoot was the main reason I signed a break from the pace of Southern California,

114 COAST :: AUGUST 2011 FOLLOW YOUR PASSION my porch and fi reside were a break from reality shooting a few times before. I, on the other altogether. With the light starting to fall, I noticed hand, had never shot anything more powerful that it was time for dinner. I went to my bedroom than a BB gun at the state fair. Shooting sporting for a shower, which, at the sight of the massive clays helps answer the question that every man ■ 2011 MONTANA MASTER tub, was instantly upgraded to a bath. There are secretly asks himself, “Is it possible that I’m CHEFS :: This year’s event places you can go which give you no choice but actually a dead-eye?” It turns out that I am not takes place from September 29 to slow down, relax and breathe. Paws Up is one actually a dead-eye, but I still had a fantastic to October 2 of them. time. We kept up the shooting for about two :: 800.473.0601 As the fi rst round of wine was poured at hours, enough that by the end of the session, I :: pawsup.com dinner, the opening night chef, Paws Up’s own looked like I sort of knew what I was doing. :: montanamasterchefs.com Wes Coffel, came out to introduce his fi rst dish, The major success of the afternoon was that while the vintner from Frog’s Leap Winery spoke this excursion was enough to get me hungry for about the wine and why it fi t “just so” with the dinner. I would need it. That night, two past winners food. Even in these luxurious trappings, nothing from the Bravo TV series “Top Chef,” Stephanie was the least bit pretentious – especially the Izard and Hosea Rosenberg, took turns making people. This can be evidenced by the fact that I dishes for the guests. Their meal lasted through 11 food. Finally, a fi sh rose to the surface to take my didn’t feel judged at all for not having a clue what courses, all but two of which were paired with wine fl y. I was overjoyed. I set the hook and began to “squab” was when it was served. (It’s a young from Stag’s Leap winery. After the marathon meal, reel my adversary in. roast pigeon and also very delicious, in case one of the best I’ve ever enjoyed, it was back to the I wish I could report that it was a tremendous you’re similarly unenlightened.) Conversations bar, where Stag’s Leap continued to pour reds and battle of epic proportions. But it wasn’t. From the at the table were lively – as meals tend to be whites. It was an extremely late night that would be second he clamped down on the fl y, my fi sh was when you put people who love food, wine and followed by an extremely early morning. Call time resigned to his fate. More than that, he seemed the outdoors in a situation that highlights their for fl y fi shing was 6 a.m. overjoyed about the idea of getting to the frying passions so strongly. After dinner I wandered My favorite line from A River Runs Through pan – just for the chance to warm up. back to the bar where the assorted members of It has always been when Paul Maclean declares, Weeks later it dawned on me that exploring a bluegrass band were already plucking at their “In Montana, there are three things we’re never passions (and maybe fi nding a few new ones) is guitars. Everyone danced, raved about dinner late for: church, work and fi shing.” I like that motto really what the Montana Master Chefs event is and drank more wine. “These,” I decided, “are and wouldn’t have been late for my fi rst Montana all about. Over the span of four days, I’d gotten my kind of folks.” fi shing trip for anything in the world. My prompt- the chance to savor unbelievable food, relax by Like summer camp for adults, Montana ness came as at least a slight surprise to the Paws the fi re with a good book, taste wine well outside Master Chefs is laid out in blocks of activities. Up guide. Over the course of the weekend, he had my pay grade, and learn how to properly prepare My fi rst foray out onto the ranch’s endless acre- seen more cancellations than eager fi shermen, a lobster mushroom. I had even caught a fi sh in age was on horseback. The horses never went likely due to the fact that the temperatures had the Blackfoot River – a highlight that hung above faster than a trot, but the pace was fi ne with me. recently plummeted. By the time I hit the river, all the rest. It was dedication to his passions that The silence – broken only by the unhurried clop- it had bottomed out to around six degrees. Still, kept Norman Maclean fi shing on the Blackfoot ping of hooves – carved out time for refl ection there was plenty of beauty to be appreciated River deep into his old age. I may never be the amongst the endless expanses. On Saturday amidst all the shivering. The water was clear and fi sherman he was, but I value my own passions afternoon, I went to shoot sporting clays with a the ponderosa pines loomed mightily above the just as strongly. Which is why I fi nd myself wistfully couple visiting from Mexico City. As we collected banks. Once in a while a trout would dart out into dreaming of returning to the Montana Master Chefs our shotguns, they told me that they’d been the current, deftly angling its body, hunting for very soon.

AUGUST 2011 :: COAST 11 5