Hello, my friends! Thanksgiving is upon us! But you know what, I decided to give your mind a Thanksgiving break to visit a refreshing oasis that’s only an hour’s drive away from San Francisco—Heidrun Meadery. My friend Betany Coffland, founder of Chloris Floral, invited me there to show me the lush flower fields where she harvests some of the flowers for her bouquets. Flowers make up a critical part of Heidrun Meadery’s business, not just because they are beautiful, but because the feed the Meadery’s multiple beehives, whose honey goes into making Heidrun’s unique sparkling, dry mead.
Betany walked me through a few flower fields, where a blue heron was also strolling! Happy honeybees buzzed around us as she pointed out the various flowers such as bright, globular gomphrena, false Queen Anne’s Lace, and marigolds. All of the fields are directed by horticulturist Jordan Uth, who happened to be away that day. How amazing it must be to work amongst these flowers, and these bees, and to devote one’s time choosing the best flowers for our buzzing friends.
I even got to taste many of the meadery’s offerings, thanks to Carly Verhey, director of Sales and Hospitality. The mead here is like nothing I had ever had (even though I have pretty limited mead knowledge). It’s made using Champagne-making methods, so it’s light, bubbly, and rather dry—great for food pairing. During Carly’s presentation, owner Gordon Hull even stopped by to say hello!
Here’s what was on the menu that day:
Hawaiian Lehua Blossom: made with honey from Hawaii, it really has tropical floral notes.
California Orange Blossom: with citrusy, floral flavor, just as an orange blossom should taste
Arizona Desert Mesquite: with melon notes, and a hint of smoke.
Madras Carrot Blossom: surprisingly herbal and earthy, very subdued, which I think makes it a great pairing mead.
Bo’ Wildflower: From honey from Bolinas, it has a distinct eucalyptus note from eucalyptus honey. Who knew that eucalyptus is such a great nectar source for bees?
Non-sparking Oregon Meadowfoam Blossom: this mead came to be as the result of a mistake, believe it or not. With notes of cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla.
I brought along with me two cheeses, Alex, from Germany, a raw cow’s milk Alpine style cheese that packs a lot of the nutty, hay, earth, fruity flavors typical of the genre (think along the lines of Gruyère or Comté) , and Lamberton, a cheddar made by Cabot Creamery in Vermont that’s got quite a bit of tang with rich, buttery notes.
The Alex paired well with the Carrot Blossom mead—both ingredients had such deep flavor, they complemented each other beautifully. The Lamberton, a little brighter tasting than the Alex, paired well with the Bo’ Wildflower—the eucalyptus notes created a great flavor floor on which the Lamberton could really jump off the palate and sparkle.
You can visit Heidrun Meadery and experience the magic of the place for yourself. They do run tours of the property, but you need to reserve in advance (same day is OK). They do have a tasting room that is open every day except Tuesday, and you do not need a reservation to visit that. Bring a picnic if you want to spend some extra time in the shade of the magnificent willow trees around the patio areas.
THANK YOU, Betany, Carly, and Gordon for having me over to visit!
Heidrun Meadery: 11925 CA-1, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956. Mon, Wed-Fri: 11am-1pm. Tues: CLOSED. Sat-Sun: 11am-4:30pm. 663.9122. Email: info[at]heidrunmeadery.com
Chloris Floral: (208) 409-6992. info[at]chlorisfloral.com
Cheese knife from my partner The French Farm [affiliate link].
Check out more photos from our day!
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