SFist in the Kitchen: Honey
Gourmets often say that cheese is the food world's analogy to wine, but we think honey is a better candidate. Our food writing idol Edward Behr wrote that "honey, in its extreme variety, is one of the most vivid reflectors of terroir"—the idea that food or wine has a "sense of place."
Helene Marshall, "the bee keeper's keeper" at Marshall's Farm Honey agrees. When she talks about the honeys her husband Spencer collects, she offers a quick rundown on how apiary health, weather conditions, and growing seasons create very different products. Even a casual tasting at one their farmer's market stalls reveals a universe of tastes you'll never find on a grocery store shelf. "You'll hear people talk about Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir," to their friends, but those same people will say 'Can you pick up some honey?' as if there's just one." She often sees professional chefs taste through all the honeys and then select a single type to order for their culinary creations.
Photos by Melissa Schneider
You might think honey production is easy, but it's not. Spencer spends much of his time moving the little livestock to carefully chosen sites in different parts of the state as new sets of flowers come into bloom. Once they're moved, he maintains the hives to keep the bees healthy and to prevent them from swarming. "A lot of beekeeping is brutal, heavy, and sticky work done either in the middle of the night or at the hottest part of the day," says Helene. Many beekeepers give up soon after they start. Honey farmers, like many in agriculture, live on a financial edge, subject to the whims of nature and the market, though the Marshalls earn some income from farmers who rent the hives so bees can pollinate their plants. If you like almonds, thank the honeybees that make the whole crop possible (and try some of the Almond Blossom honey they make as they work).
Though we tend to prefer "varietal" honeys like Star Thistle (one of their most popular) and Orange Blossom, the regional blends typically have a smooth, mellow quality that makes them more versatile. But you should try some of the week-old "Honey So Fresh...," honey the Marshall's start to sell as the season kicks into high gear. "...The Bees Don't Know It's Gone," reads the rest of the label. Take the time to taste this vibrant honey and the many others at Marshall's Farm stalls at the Grand Lake farmer's market in Oakland, the Civic Center farmer's market in San Francisco, and of course the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market.
You can use honey to sweeten and moisten any number of desserts, but we love smearing thick goat cheese onto a baguette and then generously pouring honey on top. It has a particular affinity for pork. Reader Phil Haack sent us a favorite dish of his: Marinate pork tenderloin in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger overnight, and then sear the tenderloin, cover with a mix of honey and brown sugar, and bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes, finishing for a couple minutes in the broiler. Save some for sandwiches the next day, he advises. We did something similar when we covered baby back ribs with a glaze of honey, tomato paste, mustard and garlic. Onion rings and the spicy, floral Saison Dupont beer made for a delicious dinner.
Recipe: Baby Back Ribs with a Honey Glaze
adapted from "le miel: dix facons de le préparer and Bruce Aidell's Complete Book of Pork
Note: we added butter because baby back ribs are relatively lean. You can use spare ribs, which have more fat, and reduce the butter if you like.
Feeds two to three
- 4 Tb. butter
- 6 Tb. your favorite honey
- 4 Tb. sherry or balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 Tb. mustard
- 2 Tb. tomato paste
- salt and pepper to taste
- a slab of baby back ribs
- preheat oven to 350 degrees
- combine all ingredients except for ribs in a sauce pan, and melt until flavors are well-integrated
- salt and pepper ribs
- place ribs on a rack on baking sheet, bone side down.
- brush sauce liberally over ribs
- roast ribs until meat begins to pull away from the bone, about an hour and a half, applying more sauce every fifteen minutes