A HONEY OF A CHRISTMAS PRESENT

Rate this post

Hi there,

This past Holiday Season, we were sent a fabulous gift box from our dear friends, Amy and Bill Green. The gift box contained products made from honey that they produce on their farm and vineyard, Saddlehill.

“We ought to do good to others as simply as a horse runs, or a bee makes honey, or a vine bears grapes season after season without thinking of the grapes it has borne.”

Marcus Aurelius

Bill and Amy have been our friends for over 30 years. We were so delighted when they bought Stafford Farm. Stafford Farm is an old farm that is historically important and is protected from development.

Bill and Amy love horses and wine and all kinds of people. They bought the farm and are in the process of turning it into a vineyard. They grow flowers, and keep bees and all manner of horses. The broken-down farm is now a thing of beauty to drive past and visit.

After tasting the delicious Saddlehill honey, I decided to get out the pots, pans, and cocktail shaker and create something delicious.

A cocktail named the Gold Rush perfectly featured the sweetness of Saddlehill’s unfiltered honey.

THE GOLD RUSH

Recipe by Bernadette

One honey of a cocktail!

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces 4 water

  • 2 ounces 2 Saddlehill unfiltered honey

  • 3 ounces 3 bourbon, I used Bullet Bourbon

  • 2 ounces 2 fresh lemon juice

Preparation

  • Fill shaker with ice cubes
  • Combine all the ingredients
  • Shake vigorously for 30 seconds
  • Pour into coupe glasses or serve on the rocks

I decided to make my favorite Rosemary Tomato Jam to serve on garlic toasts as an appetizer to be served with the Gold Rush.

The combination of the sweet cocktail and the savory tomato jam transformed the chill day into one of sunshine and warmth.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons of garlic paste

  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper finely diced

  • 2 pints of red cherry tomatoes, quartered

  • 1/4 cup of white wine, I used pinot grigio

  • 2 Tablespoons of Saddlehill unfiltered honey

  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary

  • a pinch of salt and pepper

Preparation

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil, garlic and jalepeno until fragrant, approximately 1 minute
  • Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook until jammy. Approximately 25 minutes
  • Remove the rosemary spring and transfer jam to a glass jar and use or refrigerate.

Thank you Amy and Bill for sharing your wonderful honey with us and for giving our community a beautiful vineyard and farm. I know everyone is anxiously waiting to taste the fruit of your vines.

43 responses to “A HONEY OF A CHRISTMAS PRESENT”

  1. I love a good honey. Could the cocktail be modified for a mock cocktail. My daughters wedding is fast approaching and we are going to b taste test a variety of mockcocktail recipes and decide on 2 for the wedding.

    • Antionette, I would use 4 ounces of lemonade, 2 ounces of unfiltered honey and a splash of The Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.

      • Retirement Reflections – Vancouver Island, BC – Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.
        Retirement Reflections says:

        That sounds absolutely perfect!

    • Hi Antoinette, fellow mocktail lover here. I love Bernadette’s suggestion to dash some lemon bitters into your creation. It helps take down the cloying sweetness that so many zero proof drinks seem to have. You might also look for bitter lemon tonic to float on top of the drinks. Just enough to give it some edge and fizzy. It’s amazing how much a bitter tonic makes a ZP drink feel like the real deal. Fever Tree and Schweppes both make one. Cheers, and happy wedding!

      • Oh, I for sure don’t think that’s true! Dry January last year taught me a few lessons about mocktails. I’m happy to share what I’ve learned.

  2. Wow! Kudos to them! A farm with flowers, bees and horses sounds magical 😉 Same as this cocktail and appetizer! Absolutely gorgeous!

  3. Darlene – British Columbia, Canada – Writer of children's stories, short stories and travel articles. https://twitter.com/#!/supermegawoman http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=201634059868404&id=631897250&ref=notif&notif_t=like#!/pages/Darlene-Foster-Writer/362236842733
    Darlene says:

    What a perfect gift! I love a good honey and honey products. I discovered a honey farm near Calgary, Alberta which sounds similar. (Yes, I left with a shopping bag full of yummy items) I like your tomato jam recipe too. One I will try.

  4. V.M.Sang – UK – I was born and educated in the north west of England. I trained as a teacher in Manchester and taught in Salford, Lancashire, Hampshire and Croydon. I write fantasy novels currently. I also make cards, knit, crochet, tat, do cross stitch and paint. I enjoy walking on the Downs, cycling and kayaking. I do not enjoy housework, but like cooking.
    V.M.Sang says:

    What delicious recipes. Indeed to buy honey!

  5. What a perfect holiday gift! The tomato jam sounds absolutely wonderful.

  6. Dorothy's New Vintage Kitchen – I'm a writer, cook, gardener, photographer, poet, quilter, and accomplished daydreamer. I'm also a wife, mother, grandmother, sister. cousin, aunt, and friend, no particular order on any given day. I've been a writer all my life, newspaper reporter and columnist, radio news writer, and magazine contributor, and poet and short-story writer as the spirit moves. Now, I turn my attention to my cookbook, the blog, and a cooking column "Memorable Meals," which runs in our county newspaper. Besides my family, I love dogs, cats, good coffee, chocolate, and my never-dwindling pile of books I intend to read. Our family ran a small Vermont Inn for 18 years, with our focus on local, organic ingredients. I cook from scratch, and try not to use anything that has ingredients I cannot pronounce! After many years of daily serving up local delicacies, cooking classes, and catering, we are now only open for special events, and the odd cooking class. We also host musicians and artists, having helped produce a musical festival and other musical events for nearly 20 years. Many incredible artists have found a place at our table. Wonderful experiences, we will treasure always. My family and friends are my practice subjects. With a family that includes nut, peanut, tree fruit, and vegetable allergies, gluten intolerance, dairy intolerance, vegetarians, vegans, heart conscious, and a couple of picky eaters, there has to be a few quick tricks in the book to keep everyone fed and happy! Personally, I do not eat red meat or most full-fat dairy (usually) for health reasons, making the occasional exception at Thanksgiving and Christmas or our anniversary if the duck is locally raised. I do eat fish and seafood, so I try to come up with alternatives and substitutions when available. I serve local organic eggs and cheeses to my family who can tolerate dairy (My husband recently had a heart attack, and I need to watch my own cholesterol so I am careful, but have been known to let a little piece of really good cheese accidentally fall on my plate!). I believe strongly that eating in a way that is good for our planet is also good for our bodies, and I try to educated myself about our food sources! I cook by the seasons and draw on inspiration from the strong and talented women in my family who came before me, as well as the youth in the family who look at the world with fresh eyes. Food links us all, whether sharing a meal, cooking it together, or writing about it for others to enjoy. I love taking an old recipe and giving it a modern spin, especially if I can make it a littler healthier and use foods that are kinder to the Earth and to our bodies. I believe strongly in sustainable, delicious eating of whole foods, and the wonderful flavors we have at our fingertips! And finally, I love conversing with all the talented cooks and chefs out there who dot the globe! It's a wonderful, world full of culinary pen pals, and I cherish them all! XXXOOO Dorothy
    Dorothy’s New Vintage Kitchen says:

    Such a lovely gift Bernie! Honey is such a magical ingredient, and whenever I use it I remind myself that the bees feed us all, and beekeeping is such an important part of the system.
    Love your little spread, the drink and the jam both look amazing.
    P.S. I have the same tablecloth for my picnic table…

  7. Two lovely recipe. Honey is such an amazing ingredient! 🙂

  8. Lori Ann Griffith – Hi! I'm Lori. I have a love for traveling and adventure. There are so many places to go and things to see that I think it's important to experience these places and sites not just drive by and get the picture. I'm having more fun and adventure in my 50'S than in my 30's. I hope you enjoy my blog and find some good information!!
    thegenxtravels says:

    Sounds delicious! I love honey and it is good for me too!!

  9. What a beautiful farm and what great friends you have! This makes me want to high-tail it back up to New Jersey for sure. Your cocktail sounds just spiffy, Bernadette. And snacks too? I’m on my way!!! 😁

  10. How lucky are you to be friends and get the perfect gift!!! It sounds like they have an amazing place and that drink sounds delicious too Bernadette.

  11. how lovely to have ‘real’ honey. And such good friends. Your tablecloth looks so similar to one we have. Is it French? Ours came from Provence. Your cocktail sounds delightful.

  12. Hi Bernadette, two lovely recipes using honey. Your friends farm looks wonderful.

  13. Awakening Wonders – Everyday life is filled with wondrous things and embraceable moments, but only if we allow ourselves to be fully awakened. I invite you to join me as I share passionate life adventures and ramblings that awaken my spirit. I look forward to awakening your senses to the simple, joyous wonders that are all around us. I feel that we are destined to become soulful adventurers!
    Awakening Wonders says:

    Great honey recipes and what a blessing to have friends on such a lovely farm!

  14. Chef Mimi – As a self-taught home cook, with many years in the culinary profession, I am passionate about all things food-related. Especially eating!
    Chef Mimi says:

    Oh that’s so exciting. Have you watched The Lost Kitchen? The owner visits her friends on their farms and it’s so fascinating! Great show. Love the cocktail and your crostini.

  15. D. Wallace Peach – 30 Miles beyond the edge of civilization, Oregon – I'm an adventurer in writing, peering under rocks in my garden for secret magic. I can't stop writing. My stories want to explode from my head. They demand my attention and surge from my fingertips faster than I can put them to paper. I love what I do.
    D. Wallace Peach says:

    The drink sounds splendid, Bernadette. I like bourbon and mixed with honey… yum. And thanks for the rosemary tomato jam recipe too. It sounds like you have some wonderful friends. The photos of the farm are beautiful.

      • D. Wallace Peach – 30 Miles beyond the edge of civilization, Oregon – I'm an adventurer in writing, peering under rocks in my garden for secret magic. I can't stop writing. My stories want to explode from my head. They demand my attention and surge from my fingertips faster than I can put them to paper. I love what I do.
        D. Wallace Peach says:

        <3

  16. the Painted Apron – Life is all about creativity for me, as long as I'm creating something I am happy! I hope I will inspire your daily life and give you ideas for your own wonderful creations!
    Jenna says:

    the cocktail and jam sound amazing Bernadette, what a lovely gift from very special friends!

  17. Retirement Reflections – Vancouver Island, BC – Prior to retirement, I lived and worked in Beijing China for fourteen years (Middle School Principal/Deputy Director at The Western Academy of Beijing). Leaving international life behind, my husband and I retired to Vancouver Island in June 2015. To document both this transition and our new adventures, ‘Retirement Reflections’ was born. I hope that you enjoy reading these reflections, and will be willing to share your own.
    Retirement Reflections says:

    Bill and Amy sound like a very inspiring couple with incredible vision!

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. If you like this recipe, please give it to your friends.Cancel reply