GO WILD! CHATHAM ISLANDS FREEZE DRIED HONEY
Walking around Queenstown (NZ) back in February, the Legendary Louise and I popped into a liquor store (for some supplies – lol) and there was a package of freeze dried honey in a promotional display. We raced to the counter to try and buy some, only to discover that the package in the display was all they had.
Back home, I did a Google search and tracked it down in New Zealand – Go Wild. My initial concern was that it couldn’t be shipped to Australia, after all, we can’t bring honey into Oz from other countries. But, I contacted them, and sure enough they said it would be no problem, although looking at their website now it does say “shipping within NZ only“.
The product (Photo: Go-Wild)
I said that I’d like to check it out to see whether it would be good for overnight walks, so they kindly sent me a packet of it. It sat on my kitchen counter for a couple of months because I couldn’t go overnight walking with the whole COVID thing, and I really wanted to road test it with some other overnight walkers.
So, two weeks ago I went out with the Legendary Louise, Mickey D and Murray and I thought “they’re just the ones I need to do some taste testing”, so I pulled out the package after dinner.
Mickey D’s first taste “oooo, yum”.
Reading more about the product.
There was a little left over (some crumbs in the bottom), so I took the left-overs home and introduced it to my adult kids/grandchildren. So, here’s our thoughts:
Taste: Delicious, very sweet (predictably).
Texture: was interesting, it was crunchy and melted in your mouth.
Colour: despite the pic on the package, I was surprised it was cream in colour and not yellow like honey.
Size: The package held 50g of product, it was probably a little crushed in my backpack (hence the crumbs in the bottom), but there were large “potato chip-sized” pieces which is what we ate.
Application/Uses: I don’t like taking my bircher muesli out into the bush because I need honey/yogurt in it to be palatable, so, some of this honey would definitely fit the bill. It would be nice too sitting around the campfire as a substitute for chocolate!
Price: currently the price is NZ$25 for a package, probably out of the price range for your average bushwalker, however for a special treat, I’d definitely pay $25 for it.
Chatham Island: this is where it’s from, one of a small group of islands 800k east of the South Island of New Zealand, the fact that there’s a cottage industry in such out of the way place, is also enough reason for me to buy it, love the story of where it’s from.
Thanks Go Wild for sending me the honey to road test, I really loved it!
Thank you M I agree with you about the price but it sounds real good and yet another great product from NZ.
Yes, I’m actually buying a lot of products from Australia and NZ at the moment, some products are more expensive but I’d rather pay more than buy stuff from overseas, and this would be one of the products that I’d buy for a special occasion. At the end of the day, it’s only money (lol).
Wow! Sounds amazing! I know $25 sounds a lot, but as a bee keeper i can tell you the cost of honey is under priced. Each bee only produces less than 1/12th teaspoon of honey each in her lifetime. They literally work them selves to death. Honey produced by one bee hive ( not a hole lot of different peoples honey mixed together which is how you get supermarket honey) is a premium product. I am not sure how you get honey freeze dried, but knowing what I do know, it sounds like a very reasonable price to pay. I hear what you are saying…$25 is a lot for a treat, , but I just don’t want you to feel guilty eating buying it. You are supporting a great industry!
Thanks for your insights on this Jen, after reading all this you’re right the $25 sounds very reasonable, didn’t realise there was so much behind beekeeping!
I would love to but it! I love in North Florida and we keep bees. I love the story about the red honey.
Hi Deborah, wow, I’m amazed that you both found my blog and also that you found the post on the honey. Also surprised that it was 18 months ago that I wrote it, we’d just come out of our first lockdown … now 18 months later the time has gone so slowly with even more lock downs! I’m glad you found the post!