Honey is honey, some say?

Well yes and no. Honey from bees that feed on specific plants render honey with unique flavors. To taste the difference, try honey on plain toast or a biscuit - or do what professional tasters do and try some all by itself spooned out of the jar.

Types of honey:

·         Acacia honey is very sweet with a clean, pure, classic honey flavor.

·         Alfalfa is a light honey but with a nice mild spicy note and floral aroma.

·         Blueberry honey has a slight tang and a fruity flavor.

·         Buckwheat is tasty on toast, but its strong and spicy flavor makes it perfect for marinades.

·         Clover is the classic honey - light, sweet, floral.

·         Coffee honey tends to be quite dark, with a rich, deep flavor that matches its color.

·         Eucalyptus honey has just a hint of menthol flavor in it, making it perfect for stirring into tea.

·         Fireweed honey has a markedly complex flavor and a slightly buttery texture. Like buckwheat honey, it can stand up to meats, marinades, glazes, and grilling.

·         Heather is pungent and almost bitter, in a good way. It's great with smoky things, or on wholesome baked goods.

·         Linden honey is quite delicate and has a fresh, woodsy aroma perfect with tea.

·         Macadamia Nut honey has a distinctive sweet and nutty flavor with a lovely floral scent.

·         Orange Blossom is widely available but watch out, much of the orange blossom honey on the market is artificially flavored. Real orange blossom honey is mild and citrus-scented.

·         Palmetto is a mild honey with balanced sweetness.

·         Sage is a lot like palmetto honey - mild, sweet, flexible.

·         Sourwood is caramel-like and buttery and delicious on toast, biscuits, muffins, and any other vehicle you can think of.

·         Tupelo honey is somehow sweeter than other honeys, but with a lovely balanced mild flavor.

·         Wildflower honey is light and fruity yet richly flavored at the same time.

Looking for honey or bee pollen, visit us at Littlebeehoney.com

Honey Bee Facts

Pollination
Agriculture depends greatly on the honeybee for pollination. Honeybees account for 80% of all insect pollination. Without such pollination, we would see a significant decrease in the yield of fruits and vegetables.

Pollen
Bees collect 66 lbs of pollen per year, per hive. Pollen is the male germ cells produced by all flowering plants for fertilization and plant embryo formation. The Honeybee uses pollen as a food. Pollen is one of the richest and purest natural foods, consisting of up to 35% protein, 10% sugars, carbohydrates, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins A (carotenes), B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinic acid), B5 (panothenic acid), C (ascorbic acid), H (biotin), and R (rutine).

Honey
Honey is used by the bees for food all year round. There are many types, colors and flavors of honey, depending upon its nectar source. The bees make honey from the nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants. Honey is an easily digestible, pure food. Honey is hydroscopic and has antibacterial qualities. Eating local honey can fend off allergies.

Beeswax
Secreted from glands, beeswax is used by the honeybee to build honey comb. It is used by humans in drugs, cosmetics, artists' materials, furniture polish and candles.

Propolis
Collected by honeybees from trees, the sticky resin is mixed with wax to make a sticky glue. The bees use this to seal cracks and repair their hive. It is used by humans as a health aid, and as the basis for fine wood varnishes.

Royal Jelly
The powerful, milky substance that turns an ordinary bee into a Queen Bee. It is made of digested pollen and honey or nectar mixed with a chemical secreted from a gland in a nursing bee's head. It commands premium prices rivaling imported caviar, and is used by some as a dietary supplement and fertility stimulant. It is loaded with all of the B vitamins.

Bee Venom
The "ouch" part of the honeybee. Although sharp pain and some swelling and itching are natural reactions to a honeybee sting, a small percentage of individuals are highly allergic to bee venom. "Bee venom therapy" is widely practiced overseas and by some in the USA to address health problems such as arthritis, neuralgia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even MS.

Looking for honey or bee pollen, visit us at Littlebeehoney.com