Raw Basics: Spring & Fall Honey with Maple Syrup by Catskill Provisions Earns Whom You Know's Highest Recommendation
Honey was not high on Peachy's list at all before she met Catskill Provisions...now she's quite the Pooh Bear!
Many people do not realize the healthful properties of honey. For example, a spoonful of LOCAL honey is a great and all natural way to forestall seasonal allergies. But it has to be local to work, and this is the real deal. Catskill Provisions offers two types of honey to choose from: spring and fall, which are different because of what the bees are eating at the time of honey harvesting. As you might imagine, spring honey is lighter and fruitier, but they are both delicious. Tea is an obvious way to enjoy honey, but I used the Fall honey as an all natural sweetener in my coffee as well. The spring honey I drizzled over yogurt and spooned into my blender for smoothies. Anyone who thinks Aunt Jemima is a substitute for real maple syrup has not tried Catskill Provisions maple syrup. We finished our whole bottle off over a long breakfast of pancakes and bacon, literally floating in maple syrup.
Not your everyday maple syrup, we are pleased to say! Catskill Provisions gives and gives some more, in the making of this light but deeply flavored maple syrup. Get out your recipe books, because you’ll want to incorporate it into everything. Start with your breakfast waffle, or pancake, and don’t use much. Each drop is golden and there’s no need to waste any of this brilliant concoction. From the trees in New York State, both a delight and a boon to local business, Catskill Provisions Maple Syrup tastes totally different from your Vermont variety. This might be the way to wean your family from Aunt Jemima. Don’t get me wrong. Aunt Jemima was a staple in our household, too. But we grew up, and now it’s bigger and better on the food ladder for culinary enthusiasts out there in the world.
One of the catchphrases of Catskill Provisions is: "Happy Bees make better honey”, and truer words were never spoken. Taking into account the flavor of their raw, kosher honeys, the starting point must be so happy that they all hum Pharrell’s song every day. Divided into seasons, this honey comes in two choices: the Spring Honey("light, golden honey harvested in early spring when bees are feeding on clover, apple, pear blossom, and cherry blossom”). And there’s the Fall Honey: " harvested in mid-autumn when bees are feeding on chestnut, maple, goldenrod, sunflowers, corn flowers, asters, and daises”. These Catskill Provision folk know their bees. With a light, clear, amber colored Spring, and a deep, dark, rich Fall, you can serve them with any cheese, or wantonly stir either one into your tea. Be adventurous and try both. See where your fancies lie.
If you're looking for tasty, all-natural, locally-produced products to enhance your pantry, look no further than Catskill Provisions. Founded in 2010 by Claire Martin, who turned her hobby of beekeeping into a full-time career running an artisan food company providing 100% raw, local products, Catskill Provisions has a fantastic line of products that are must-haves for any at-home or professional chef! Their Spring and Fall Honeys and their New York State Grade A Maple Syrup are just a few examples of how they take basic pantry staples and turn them into something outstanding. The simple fact that they distinguish between Spring and Fall honeys is a major hint that they take their products seriously, and once you taste them, you'll understand the difference between what they create and the mass-produced products you see lining supermarket shelves. The Spring Honey is lighter in color, as well as taste. It's harvested early in the year, when bees are feeding on clover, apple, pear blossom, and cherry blossom. It's a delicate flavor, and recommended for accompanying light cheeses, fruit, and yogurt. By contrast, the Fall Honey is darker and color and has a more robust flavor, as it is harvested when the bees are feeding on chestnut, maple, goldenrod, sunflowers, corn flowers, asters, and daisies. This honey is recommended for tea, cocktails, hard cheeses, or that old standby, buttered toast. Both honeys are delicious, and I enjoyed comparing and contrasting the flavors. I'll never look at honey the same way again, now that I've had a proper "honey education!" Not to be left out, Catskill Provisions' maple syrup is a definite standout in the world of maple syrup. Unlike the commercial brands, this pure maple syrup is light and delicate, without any of the artificial aftertaste one might find in the traditional supermarket brands. It's filtered 12 times through natural paper to improve clarity, and to eliminate any of the gritty residue that can sometimes be associated with natural maple syrups. It is, hands down, the most delicious maple syrup I've ever tasted, and I look forward to hosting my next brunch so that I can share it with friends and family!
I really like the Spring Honey. It was light and fresh. I put it on my rotisserie chicken and it
added a nice lift to the overall flavor.
I also used it on toast, and some vegetables. It was so good I started
eating it with a spoon. The Fall Honey was a bit darker, and tart. I don’t know if it was because I tried the
Spring Honey first, but the Fall taste was a bit intense for me – I guess
overpowering. So it’s back to the Spring Honey – oh, it’s empty.
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Who we are:
Located in a small corner of the Northwest Catskill Mountains, Catskill Provisions specializes in creating raw, all-natural handmade food products while subscribing to the philosophy that a thriving society makes use of the closest resources around it. In the surrounding area of Long Eddy, New York, we source as many materials from local purveyors as we can while employing people from within our community. Catskill Provisions continues to grow a list of clients that is comprised of farm-to-table restaurants, hotels, and specialty stores all likeminded in our sustainable philosophy.
