It's telling that when Jude and Winter Mead began building their new sugarhouse years ago, one of the most important elements was a good rocking chair. Sure, they needed a new foundation, a reverse osmosis machine to filter the water out of the sap and a stainless steel evaporator, but as important was a good place to sit and wait.
Making maple syrup is anything but quick.
NEW! Mead and Mead's Maple Syrup
When you think of maple syrup, Connecticut may not be the first place that pops to mind - Vermont, Canada, Maine, maybe. But as it turns out, some of the finest maple syrup around comes from the maple trees in Canaan Valley, CT on the farm of Winter and Jude Mead. They've been harvesting sap and producing syrup for over 25 years and their Grade A, medium amber is some of the best we've ever tried.
The flavor of Mead and Mead's Maple Syrup is not cloying, but rather rich and delicate with a clean, natural sweetness. Maple syrup this good makes it crystal clear why there really is no substitute. It's obviously wonderful over pancakes, waffles and our favorite, Jonnycakes (a traditional New England cornmeal pancake). It's also nice over any sort of morning porridge, like wheat cereal or soft polenta. Try a bit poured over your morning oatmeal sprinkled with walnuts and dried cherries
It's lovely over yogurt with fresh blueberries or strawberries. It's also great over vanilla ice cream or mixed into your favorite ice cream base.
Order a bottle of real, Grade "A" Amber Maple Syrup now for $18.00
People often ask us...
How does a honey producer know that the bees are only collecting from a certain type of flower? Well, take a look at this picture and you'll see how!
This is a shot of the fields of Franca Franzoni in Chianti. She painstakingly moves each hive to a particular field when the flowers are blooming, so the bees can work their magic!
September is National Honey Month
We don't usually take note of the many recognition months, weeks and days put forth by the various boards and industries behind the food business.(Really...National Chocolate Eclair Day? June 22nd, by the way)
But we have a soft spot for honey producers. They're extremely hard workers who maintain a very particular
and finicky flock. Their bees pollinate as much as 80% of the crops in the United States and it's certainly a
thankless job since most people don't even know pollination is necessary! These producers have shown themselves to be remarkably resilient by contending with Colony Collapse Disorder which pushed their bees and livelihood to the brink the past few years.
One of our favorites is Franca Franzoni. Her hard-working bees produce some of the tastiest, cleanest and most pure honeys we've encountered. Her patch of land in Chianti has wildflowers, acacia trees and the source of our favorite honey, chestnut trees.
Franca's chestnut honey is rich and deep in color. The pronounced bittersweet flavor makes it a perfect match to a hearty whole wheat bread slathered with butter. It's a wonderful accent to a creamy panna cotta or cheesecake. And you can elevate a cheese plate with a drizzle of chestnut honey over a salty pecorino or a tangy aged goat cheese.
Browse our honey aisle now
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