Seeking Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey

I just finished reading Letters from the Hive. I won't recommend the book as I think it reads a bit too much like a term paper or dissertation, lots of facts and accounts without a real focused thread. However, I did learn quite a bit about honey and honey production (or rather apirary agriculture).

One of the great resources listed is the Honey Locator sponsored by the National Honey Board. The search tool allows you to plug in the varietal of honey, say basswood or tupelo, and up pops several producers, whosalers and retailers.

In the chapter on varietals, Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey is supposed to be a hot ticket. I can find internet sources for this honey. However, since the quantity I want to try is small, I was wondering if anyone knew of a bricks and morter source for this honey in Chicago...so I won't get killed on shipping.

pdaane wrote:However, since the quantity I want to try is small, I was wondering if anyone knew of a bricks and morter source for this honey in Chicago...so I won't get killed on shipping.

What kind of quantities make it worthwhile. I like honey. I'd share shipping costs.

Hammond

Poke around some expectable Chicago places.

I bought my first--and only--bottle of leatherwood honey up in one of the many interchangable fruit stand cum knick-knack stores in Door County years ago. R. Stephens, Mole Creek, Tasmania. It was and remains the oddest tasting honey I have ever had. I don't think I can possibly identify the flavor in any conceivable way that would be helpful. I can say that I didn't particularly care for it. The label was so colorful and striking that I kept the bottle, which I still have, as show-off storage for miscellaneous food items.

Then, one day not so long ago (perhaps within the past six months or so), I remember searching for my favorite honey (Attiki thyme; the richest, darkest, most incredibly flavorful...don't get me started). Not surprisingly, I didn't find it where I was, but I remember being startled to see the same bottle of leatherwood honey produced by Mr. (Ms.?) Stephens on the honey shelf. I am reasonably inclined to think that it was the Treasure Island on Broadway, but I am not certain of that. But I am sure that I saw it in Chicago in the past year. I realize that this is little practical help, but perhaps some quick calls to the usual suspects might turn up a source.

Good luck--I'll be curious to know what you think of the flavor.

Gypsy Boy

I really like Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey. It is a striking flavor. A couple of our little gourmet shops here in Portland sell it. It comes in a small can. I generally try to keep some. It doesn't make a good all-purpose honey, but we have plenty of sources at the farmer's markets for blackberry, sage, wildflower, cherry, and so on honeys that do that job. I use it like I might use a long-aged balsamic, as an accent to things.

If you can't find it there locally, PM me and I can get some for you here and send it cheap.

Thanks for the honey website link. Just spent my lunch break there. It seems like there is so much to learn about honey (almost like wine). My favorite, Linden honey (from the bees at the Morton Arboretum) has such a beautiful scent. I'm new to the world of honey, having grown up with the little bears from the grocery store. I'd like to learn more about the varieties, so if you have a favorite type and source, let me know.
Thanks

First, thank you for the kind offers to ship or share shipping.

I managed to find some Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey at The Marketplace on Oakton. The Marketplace on Oakton had approximately 25 varieties of honey, including the full lineup of Dutch Gold honey which was ~$4.00 a jar compared to over $10/1 lb. jar on the Dutch Gold Honey website.

TO BE CUT AND CROSS POSTED:
BTW, I hope to write an ode to Marketplace on Oakton (with bumps to EatChicago for his pluot report). I found three products that I have read about recently and never heard of before at this one store. They were fresh dates (NYTIMES), Leatherwood Honey (Letters from the Hive) and Freekah ("Cook's Guide to Grains: Delicious Recipes, Culinary Advice and Nutritional Facts" by Jenni Muir). Just to put this in perspective...I have been on LTH for over a year and chowhounds before that and I am an avid reader of food magazines and books. I seldom come across three items that I have never heard of, let alone expect to find them all in one store. I bought Letters from the Hive after seeing a link to Powells.com food books on LTH and Cooks Guide to Grains from the thread on Quinoa Recipes...lots of data to mine here folks!!!

BTW, Fruitwood Orchards not only had great prices on honey at about $3.00-$3.75 for one pound jars, shipping was only $5.00. I have not made the splurge to order all the exotic New Zealand variatals yet. Maybe my winter hive-bernation project?

Yes, Tupelo has a good nose, the leatherwood a bit of funk, the buckwheat a little dark and foreboding, but the Eucalyptus, Oh my goodness....rich carmel notes, dry finish, would go well with roast pork or just eaten out of your hand/paw a la Pooh.

Honey Tasting soon. But first, a trip to the Honey Museum and gift shop.


ooooh, ooooh, the box also has cranberry and pine barren

pd