Today, the locavore buzz is all about Slide Ridge single-source, high-altitude honeys from a little family operation in Mendon, Utah. At a recent Slow Food Utah (SlowFoodUtah.org) gathering, our beecurious group had the opportunity to taste the latest Slide Ridge releases. They turned out to be some of the most incredibly complex, nuanced honeys imaginable.
This is honey with terroir, if you will— as distinctive as great olive oils and wines. Slide Ridge’s pure, unadulterated offerings included mahogany honey with musky, heady notes; an aromatic, fruity chamomile called Jean-Louise, after the family matriarch, gathered at 10,000 feet; wild poppy with a layered, spicy character; a rich, nutty Huntsville No. 32; and a mysteriously enticing Top of Morgan No. 52.
Right now you can find several of these single-batch, hand-bottled, handlabeled Slide Ridge honeys at Caputo’s. They’ll also be available at the Downtown Farmers Market and the Park Silly Sunday Market. Mail order isn’t quite up and running yet, but Slide Ridge does have a site at SlideRidgeHoney.com.
As he is wont to do, Matt Caputo paired various honeys with a range of cheeses—a super way to enjoy two of life’s great pleasures in one bite. Try the Jean-Louis Chamomile with local Beehive Aggiano. And, if you’re interested in helping to save Utah’s honeybees, check out HansenHives.com where you can learn all about “hosting” a hive in your yard in 2010.
