Blackberry Honey

Smooth and rich, with distinct berry undertones and a subtle waxy floral note that sets it apart from standard table honey. Medium amber in color, thick in texture, balanced rather than aggressive. The sweetness is mild for a varietal honey, which is part of why it works in so many places (yogurt, vinaigrettes, pork tenderloin, straight off the spoon at the counter). Customers describe it with words like "favorite" and "blows everything else away," and we tend to agree.

It's made from blackberry blossoms, not the fruit. Wild blackberry bushes grow across the Pacific Northwest in sprawling, thorny patches along roadsides, forest edges, and meadows. Beekeepers position hives near these natural areas during the spring bloom, when the bushes are covered in white and pink flowers. The bees collect nectar from the blossoms (and pollinate the bushes while they're at it), and the honey captures the character of those wild flowers. No fruit, no flavoring, no cultivated farms. True monofloral.

The biggest difference is monofloral versus multi-floral. Blackberry Honey is sourced from wild blackberry blossoms in the Pacific Northwest, so the flavor focuses on a single berry character with that distinctive waxy floral note. Mixed Berry Honey blends nectar from strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry blossoms, which gives it a brighter, jammier profile reminiscent of berry preserves. Both are excellent. Blackberry is the deeper, more focused one. Mixed Berry is the brighter, fruit-forward one. Pick based on what the dish (or the moment) is asking for.

Honestly, anywhere. Drizzle it over Greek yogurt with granola, use it instead of syrup on pancakes and waffles, stir it into hot or iced tea, or build a cheese board around it (goat cheese and aged cheddar especially welcome the berry note). It also performs beautifully in marinades for pork tenderloin, in vinaigrettes that need a little depth, and over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Customers subscribe to it for a reason. It earns its place on the counter and the dinner table both.

Crystallization is what raw, minimally filtered honey does. It is not spoilage, not a defect, and not a sign that anything has gone wrong. Most varieties will start to set within a few months, depending on the floral source and the temperature of your kitchen. To return it to a pourable state, place the sealed jar in a bowl of warm (not boiling) water for a few minutes and stir gently. Skip the microwave, which can scorch the natural enzymes and aromatic compounds that make raw honey worth buying in the first place.

Keep your honey at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, with the lid screwed on tight. A pantry shelf or cabinet works beautifully. Honey is one of the few foods that does not spoil, so there is no need to refrigerate it. In fact, the cold will speed up crystallization. If your jar does begin to set, that is normal and easily reversed with a warm water bath. Use a clean, dry spoon every time, and your honey will hold its character for years.