Hi honey, it’s home
Meet two beekeepers who cleverly combine their liquid gold with handmade cheese, a delicious combination, as Janine Walker discovered
THE Overberg Honey Co near Hermanus is the brainchild of beekeepers Daniel and Nadia Vorster. They produce an impressive range of honey which means the bees feed mainly on one type of flower and the honey takes on the flavour profile of that predominant nectar source.
There’s everything from pumpkin and boekenhout (Cape Beech) to sunflower and bluegum. The colours, aromas and flavours are different from each other and once you’ve tried them you might never buy commercial honey again.
The Vorsters have paired three of their rich honeys with cheeses made at nearby Stonehouse Farm.
One of the bestselling honeys they produce is the fynbos. This is paired with a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese that has a tang which goes well with the richness of the honey. The Strandveld honey is harvested from beach flowers in the Overstrand and while it isn’t exactly salty, it has surprising sea flavours that match the ripe Stonehouse Brie.
The acacia honey is sourced from Nadia’s father, Theunis Engelbrecht, a beekeeper in the Northern Cape, who inspired his daughter and son-in-law to follow in his footsteps. The slightly nutty Salmo Espiral cheese made with jersey milk and a hint of Italian herbs matches the lighter and more floral honey.
Drinks feature honey. There’s Boston Breweries Wild Honey Blonde Crystal Weiss and Uber Flavour Honey and Lemon Rooibos Brew. And ponder this: bees must visit about two million flowers to make one 500g bottle of honey.
The Overberg honey and cheese pairing is available from Tuesday to Saturday at the Overberg Honey Co at the Stanford Business Park on the R43 between Stanford and Gansbaai. Cost is R70 per person and bookings can be made on 028 312 3332. There is a shop on site. Overberg Honey Co also own The Honey Stall at 32 Michelle Street in Hermanus. Honey and related products can be bought online at www.overberghoney.co.za