The Fairmont Royal York’s Executive Chef, David Garcelon, is proud to announce that the hotel’s late summer rooftop harvest was awarded third place in the Dark Honey category at the 86th annual Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. The honey was judged in the Honey and Beeswax Competition and placed for the second consecutive year.
The dark honey was extracted from the hotel’s late summer harvest of September 25, 2009 and judged on November 8, 2009. The roof top bees have slowed their honey production for the season. Their hives will soon receive their seasonal jackets, in preparation for winter, this coming Sunday, November 22, 2009.
Weather has great influence on bees and their honey production.
“Honey production was down this summer due to the rainy weather,” notes Chef David Garcelon, Executive Chef at the hotel, “…despite the rain we were able to harvest nearly 500 pounds of honey.”
The 14th floor roof top apiary was established on June 4, 2008. Three new hives were added this season and have grown strongly in population and strength.
There are now a total of six hives on the roof: The Honey Moon Suite, The Royal Sweet, The V.I.Bee Suite, The Bee & Bee Suite, Stayin’ A Hive Suite and Home Sweet Comb. On November 22, all six hives will be winterized so that the bees may continue their rooftop residency throughout the coming winter.
A 500 gram sample of honey, contained in a regulation sized honey jar, was submitted for judging in the dark honey category. The color of the award-winning honey was determined using a honey classifier approved by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
“The honey produced at the hotel tends to be a light, early summer honey and a thick, dark late summer variety,” said Mylee Nordin, Toronto Bee Cooperative member. “The colour reflects the plants and green life that surround the hotel.”
Judges awarded points for flavour and aroma, uniform level of fill, density, colour, freedom from crystals, freedom from foreign material, freedom from air bubbles, uniformity of honey, brightness and appearance and uniformity of containers.
You can follow the excitement of this year’s honey harvest, including interviews with Chef Garcelon and Mylee Nordin, by tuning into Episode #9 of Radio Royal York.
