Tupelo Honey

In the deep south, at the Apalachicola River basin in the Florida panhandle, and the Okeefenokee Wildlife Refuge at the Florida-Georgia line, white Ogeechee tupelo trees grow. They blossom about 10 days every year. There are other locations of lesser tupelo gum trees, but here there be treasures. This is the source of the most expensive tupelo honey, so rare that it is analyzed by pollen chemistry to certify its purity.

On the supermarket shelf, there are many types of honey from the amber liquid in plastic squeeze bottles shaped like a bear to small precious glass jars top heavy with considerable price tags. We could make do with the bear, but we linger over these tantalizing nectars under glass.

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“The Sweet Iced Tea at Tupelo Honey is my favorite. I can taste the brewed tea leaves distinctly just beneath the light sweetness. I could drink this all day!”

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar has its origins in Asheville, North Carolina from 2000. They are proud of their scratch-made, farm to table southern recipes infused with Appalachian spirit and classic American heritage. As their presence and influence travels from the Eastern Seaboard through the Southeastern United States and to the Great Lakes, more and more people think of tupelo honey when they see their first Tupelo Honey.

I visited my first Tupelo Honey in Charlotte, North Carolina during a business trip. The Sweet Iced Tea was the best that I ever tasted. The menu was classic southern but also contemporary eclectic. Beers on tap poured and flowed. Fresh from farm to table dishes rotated with the lively energy coursing around the center bar. This was a serendipitous discovery, with precious few in number, and I appreciated the pure deep southern essence.

Lisa, our friend Scott, and I visited Tupelo Honey in Historic Third Ward in downtown Milwaukee. This was our early dinner after exploring Milwaukee Public Market. It was fortunate that we arrived as early birds because the place filled up fast. I was excited to be back at Tupelo Honey, and looking forward to see the first impressions of Lisa and Scott.

“The Parmesan Rosemary Potato Cracklins are like a baked potato broken up into pieces—crisped on the outside—and baked tender on the inside. These are amazing!”

We started off with some drinks. Scott: “The Good City Hazy IPA is delicious and citrusy, a little like drinking grapefruit juice. This must be very popular in the summer!” Lisa: “The Kiss of Lavender Lemonade tastes of lightly sweetened, fresh and tart lemons. The smooth lavender finish is absolutely fantastic!” And me: “The Sweet Iced Tea at Tupelo Honey is my favorite. I can taste the brewed tea leaves distinctly just beneath the light sweetness. I could drink this all day!”

We shared an appetizer. Scott: “The Spicy Cauliflower Bites have a little zing, but not too much spice. I really like the sriracha honey drizzle!” Lisa: “The cauliflower is lightly fried to preserve the freshness. This is a tempting combo of sweet and spicy. The sliced jalapeños and green tomato aioli dipping sauce deepen the flavors!” And me: “These are a good warmup appetizer. Everything is fresh and light!”

Our entrees arrived. Scott: “I just took a couple bites of the Smash Burger, and I love this. Two burger patties are seared well done, and smashed together on a potato bun! The Parmesan Rosemary Potato Cracklins are like a baked potato broken up into pieces—crisped on the outside—and baked tender on the inside. These are amazing!” Lisa: “The Roast Beef Debris Entree is the most tender roast beef I’ve ever tasted. The braised green beans and fried onions give this meal a nice kick. And the creamy heirloom grits are a good match. All the rich and savory flavors and textures come together perfectly!” And me: “The Fried Shrimp Po’ Boy is loaded with sweet shrimp. The bread is toasted but still tender. The dressing evokes horseradish. The lettuce and tomatoes are so fresh. And I can’t get enough of these fries!”

“The Roast Beef Debris Entree is the most tender roast beef I’ve ever tasted. The braised green beans and fried onions give this meal a nice kick. And the creamy heirloom grits are a good match. All the rich and savory flavors and textures come together perfectly!”

In all the excitement, I didn’t get a good snap of Lisa’s entree, but it looked just like the menu photo on the Tupelo Honey website. “Fall apart tender” was the perfect description. After everything, it felt like we maybe went just a little out of our way to find something far out of the ordinary. Found in precious few locations, the purity of the deep southern experience came through as a revelation. No more plastic bears.

I could see a journey taking us to the white Ogeechee tupelo trees where we would brave alligators and snakes in search of blossoms, good for 10 treasured days. Or we could appreciate the pure deep southern experience at Tupelo Honey. And the next time we see those tiny glass jars of tupelo honey on the shelf, we will linger no longer.

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