A Golden – Honey of a Story

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Björn’s Honey, The Buffalo Rose and Anthony’s Pizza Gathered in Golden to Pair-up Great Honey with their Terrific Food

by Caren Austin

A while back, I was celebrating a friend’s birthday in Breckenridge, CO when we all wandered into the Björn’s Colorado Honey store. I bought a couple of jars to take home because I absolutely love anything made in the beautiful state of Colorado. When we got home, we started to taste all of them. This isn’t any ordinary honey; it is special, and I had to find out more.

After speaking with Pontus, the owner of Björn’s Honey and “beekeeper of the hives” (sounds like a Game of Thrones reference), my foodie wheels started spinning and I had an idea. Björn’s Colorado Honey has a store in Golden CO, and I wanted to pair some of Golden’s best bites with their honey for a taste test experiment Golden style. The tasting came together easily, and we all met at The Buffalo Rose in Golden for our honey adventure. But first a little background on this magical company called Björn’s Colorado Honey.

*Left to Right: Derek Giulianelli – Buffalo Rose, Laura Boudreaux & Pontus Jakobsson – Björn Honey, Amy D’Amico and Garrett Brizendine -Anthony’s Pizza and Pasta of Golden*

Björn’s Colorado Honey is a small batch honey producer. Owner Pontus grew up in Sweden and learned this incredible art from his grandfather. When he and his wife Lara moved to Colorado, he wanted to follow in the tradition of his grandfather, Bjorn. So, Björn’s honey was soon born in the USA. Their goal was to provide top quality honey produced in the Swedish family tradition, which is often crystalized and whipped to be smooth and spreadable.

Eleven years later, they have hives on organic farms in Weld County, Boulder County, and the Denver area. They also carry bee-based products like skincare which I also purchased and use daily. Their lip balm is something I carry in my purse and cannot live without. The Double Propolis honey is fantastic for seasonal allergies and is one of the best sellers.

We had four tastings to try with Björn’s Colorado Honey. The first was a Burrata Salad from The Buffalo Rose. We paired this with Björn’s delicious honeycomb which is not available all the time at the store, but when it is grab it because it is like nature’s candy bar. Paired with the creamy burrata, it was an instant match, and we were already hitting it out of the park.

Next up was The Devils on Horseback from The Buffalo Rose paired with Björn’s Traditional Colorado Honey. Nothing could be better than bacon wrapped dates with honey. It was a perfect combination, and they disappeared immediately.

Anthony’s Pizza in Golden was kind enough to participate in the tasting contributing a delicious pepperoni pizza. Anthony’s pizza is one of my favorite pies in the mountains, so I was super excited to pair this with Björn’s Sweet and Spicy Colorado Honey.

This is one of my favorite honeys from Björn’s and when we dipped the pizza crust in the honey it was a flavor explosion like no other. I have had this honey in salad dressings, on brie cheese and on ice cream. The possibilities are endless.

We had to have dessert, and The Buffalo Rose brought out their famous Churros. We dipped them in the Clover Blossom Colorado Honey for some sweet, crunchy, honey goodness. Churros have become a thing now, so this dessert at The Buffalo Rose was the perfect ending to a perfect Golden day.

You can find Björn’s Colorado Honey at their retail stores in Breckenridge, Golden, Steamboat Springs, and Littleton, with two retail stores in Denver International Airport at terminals B and C, plus three kiosks in the airport as well. You can also order online at www.bjornscoloradohoney.com