Marshall's Farm has an artisanal approach to traditional honey production. Spencer Marshall harvests small quantities of superior quality gourmet honey in the very special microclimates of the San Francisco Bay Area – mountains, valleys, seacoasts and backyards. He searches out locations that support only a few hives but produce exceptional tasting honeys. The diverse and constantly changing seasonal blooms of the Bay Area (Eucalyptus, Star Thistle, Wildflower, Blackberry and others) produce floral nectars and pollens that differ greatly in taste, texture, and color. According to Helene, honey is varietal – just as wine is. The taste is dependent on the changing seasonal blooms. Spencer harvests after each bloom, isolates the honey harvested from each apiary and thus creates the special flavor nuances and wonderful color variations in Marshall's Farm honeys. Marshall’s honey is raw, 100% pure, unheated, uncooked, unfiltered and natural.
Marshalls Farm offers many sweet, unflavored varietal types of honey. What a sweet gift to consider for Rosh Hashanah and the holidays. KosherEye checked with our consulting kashruth organization, the Atlanta Kashruth Commission, about honey and kashrut. The AKC issued the following statement: The AKC position is that any pure honey can be used without certification as long as there are no other additives. Honey in the honeycomb is also acceptable. Marshall’s honeys are supervised by K-ORC, the Orthodox Rabbinical Council of San Francisco. Do check with your Rabbinical authority.
Honey is:
• Heavy: a 12 oz. jar equals an 8 oz measuring cup.
• Sticky: when using honey in cooking, put oil in a cup or spoon so honey comes off easily
• Gooey: slightly warmed honey is easier to work with in cooking.
• Moisturizing: The bees mix the pollens and nectars and leave about 17% water. Foods prepared with honey stay moist and fresh longer than foods prepared with sugar.
• Energizing: Honey contains the simple sugars, glucose & fructose. It is assimilated into your body quickly and naturally, thus it is often used as a source of quick energy.
• Fat Free: Honey is a fat free food. In honey, there are 60 calories per tablespoon. Also there are traces of protein in honey (pollen floating in the honey provides the protein.) You will also find enzymes, vitamins and minerals in trace amounts in honey.
• Eat it Raw: honey tastes best and is best for you when it is uncooked. At Marshall's Farm, we never cook our honey. If the honey crystallized in a storage bucket, we have to warm the honey so it can be poured into jars for you. The honey is warmed by placing the bucket in a stainless steel water bath where the temperature gets no higher than 90 degrees. It is hotter than that in the beehive!!
Read more of our Chat with Helene Glickfield Marshall, the Beekeeper's Wife,
Marshall’s honey can be ordered online at Marshallshoney.com.