Brooke Williamson Calls Paws Up the Disneyland of Nature

The California coast meets the foothills of Montana in our next WinterFest event on February 15–18, 2019. Come for a romantic Valentine’s Day, then stay for the coolest culinary event on earth. We’ll have you dining on delectable bites through Presidents’ Day. We’re thrilled to welcome an amazing lineup of winemakers and visionary chefs from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Experience three and a half days of wilderness adventures; intimate cooking classes and demonstrations; wine, beer and spirits tastings; live entertainment and, of course, gourmet, winter-themed feasts—complete with thoughtful wine pairings—created by our award-winning guest chefs.

Chef Brooke Williamson has been one of our featured WinterFest chefs from the very start of the event, and we are honored to sit down with her to chat about her latest endeavors and why she loves returning to Paws Up.

What ingredients are you excited about right now?

I love the transition from summer to fall. Corn and the tomatoes are still in play, but we also start to see squash and sweet root veggies. Seasons are more of a mindset in California, so the shift into fall is more about seasonal cravings. I love a good braised meat, so that might be the biggest bonus to seasonal changes for me. My staple ingredients are always the same though, such as fish sauce, good olive oil and dried mushrooms to name a few.

What’s the most underrated ingredient?

Good olive oil and good salt can make anything taste good.

Which ingredients from Montana are your favorites to work with?

I love cooking with local ingredients whenever I travel, but I’d have to say that some of the best game meat, watermelons and huckleberries (obviously) that I’ve ever eaten have come from Montana.

How many times have you been to Paws Up?

I lost count after about 20 visits, but I’m hoping my visits to Paws Up never end. It’s my happy place.

Why do you keep coming back?

The people, the nature, the activities, the staff, the food. I could go on and on.

What’s your favorite activity on property?

Snowmobiling. If I could snowmobile to work on a daily basis I’d be happy. But, that’s also a California girl talking.

How would you describe Paws Up to someone who has never been?

It’s kind of like the Disneyland of nature. It’s a place where I’m happy relaxing, doing nothing or taking advantage and experiencing everything. But honestly, nothing beats being on the vast open ranch property with everything you could ever need at your disposal. It’s the only place I really feel like I can truly breathe.

You’ve been involved in WinterFest since the first fest. How has it evolved? How would you like to see it continue to grow?

WinterFest has grown a lot since our first year. It’s doubled in numbers of guests and activities but still has the charm of an intimate foodie event. I love the fact that by the end of the weekend I feel like I’ve really gotten to know everyone.

Do you have any new exciting endeavors you’re working on?

My plate is very full right now with travel and the usual day-to-day restaurant stuff, but I am working on a book and a remodeling of my restaurant Hudson House, which we’re super excited about. Hudson House is about to hit 10 years since we opened the doors!

What’s the most important piece of kitchen wisdom you’ve ever received?

That maintaining calm is the key to making it out alive—in any kitchen circumstance.

Summer Berry Tart with Fresh Berries, Chamomile Glaze, Grand Marnier and Honey-Whipped Chèvre

Just in time for summer entertaining, our Executive Chef Sunny Jin created a recipe—Summer Berry Tart with Fresh Berries, Chamomile Glaze, Grand Marnier and Honey-Whipped Chèvre—to showcase the essence of summertime in Montana. “I was thrilled to use edible flowers plucked from the fields of The Resort at Paws Up and use them in a dessert big enough to share with friends and family around a fire,” says Jin. We hope you’ll try this recipe for a taste of Paws Up and Montana in your own home. We sat down with Jin to ask him about this recipe.

What was your inspiration when you created this recipe?

I’m consistently inspired by Montana and the flavor profiles of what grows naturally around here. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to incorporate them into dishes to further enhance the Montana experience of our guests.

Is this a new recipe or have you made it before?

This is a new recipe, based around and featuring the available ingredients from local farmers and from foraging the hills of Greenough, Montana.

Will this recipe be on the menu at Paws Up this summer?

We are still deciding what local delicacies will be on the summer menu at Paws Up. A favorite right now is our wood-fired huckleberry cobbler. The summer berry pie will be available upon request for our guests who would like to experience it. We like to make the magic happen here at Paws Up, folks.

What’s a cooking tip or two to use when preparing this recipe?

When I created this recipe, I built the pie in a manner that made me happy. There was no rhyme or reason to the placement of the berries or flowers, which grow abundantly in Montana. I would encourage our home cooks to use the same mentality of being inspired by the beauty of the ingredients and celebrating them. It’s not too often in baking that we don’t follow the rules of the measurements—for parts of this recipe you can!

Why did you choose this type of crust for this tart?

This crust was chosen to allow the real story to be about the berries. We could embellish all day, but sometimes using the simplest things is the best approach.

If you could share this tart with anyone in the world who would it be and why?

The one person who comes immediately to mind is Martha Stewart! She’s the epitome of baking and summertime entertaining (and entertaining in general) and aside from the idea that she’d like this recipe, I would love to have a conversation with her. Short answer, she seems cool. To anyone reading this: can you have her people call my people, please?

Summer Berry Tart with Fresh Berries, Chamomile Glaze, Grand Marnier and Honey-Whipped Chèvre

Makes 1 (8-inch) Tart

Ingredients

For the Glaze:

2 tablespoons chamomile, dried

1 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup glucose (light corn syrup can be substituted)

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

Directions

  1. Gently steep chamomile, water and sugar in a small saucepan until sugar has dissolved.
  2. Remove from heat and let stand 2 minutes.
  3. Strain the glaze. Add the Grand Marnier and let cool. (This will be used to glaze the berries once assembled.)

Ingredients
For the Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons cold water

1 egg

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Combine flour, butter and sugar into a food processor. Pulse the mixture lightly until only small clumps remain. Add chilled water and the egg. Gently pulse again until the dough just comes together.
  3. Turn the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead until the mixture is smooth; shape into a disc. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Once chilled, roll dough out on a floured surface until about 1/4-inch-thick.
  4. Gently place dough over an 8-inch pie pan and mold to the shape of the pan. Use a butter knife along the ridge of the pan to remove excess dough. Prick bottom of the dough with a fork to avoid warping and rising.
  5. Transfer pie pan to the oven and bake 10 minutes. Rotate and bake for 10 minutes more or until golden brown. Bring to room temperature once cooked. Set aside.

Ingredients
For the Whipped Chèvre:

3 cups chèvre

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup wildflower honey

1/4 cup Grand Marnier

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

  1. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip chèvre on medium speed until creamy. Continue to whip until it the mixture has doubled in volume. Reduce the speed and slowly drizzle in the heavy cream.
  2. Add powdered sugar, honey, Grand Marnier and lemon juice and continue to mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Garnish:

1 pint each of fresh berries—strawberries, raspberries and blueberries

Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Edible garden flowers (optional)

Directions

To Assemble Tart:

  1. Spread an even layer of the whipped chèvre in the base of the tart shell.
  2. Arrange berries over the top until evenly covered. Brush the glaze over the berries. Finish with a light garnish of mint leaves and edible flowers. Enjoy!