August is here and so are new items!

I hope you are staying well and mentally healthy, the best you can. These times sure are something for the books! Soon the sunny, hot days and nights full of musical sounds will wind down and the season will change, as will our health.

If you aren’t sneezing and rubbing your eyes from allergies you probably know someone that is doing so daily. Next thing we know those sneezes and scratchy throats will be from other fun visitors, not the pollen that is currently floating about, but fun “back to school” and “hello fall” colds and viruses. The regular run of the mill every year stuff!

I am happy to tell you the elderberry syrup will be steadily and readily available to help you and yours during the upcoming cold and flu season. You will be able to find many tonics, syrups, oxymels and even shrubs in the coming weeks. I love experimenting with these tried and true, old fashion, natural health remedies. Made from fruits, vegetables and herbs these alternative infusions make a great health tonic and offer a nutritional boost to your daily diet. Not only by the spoonful or in a beverage but they can be included in your culinary preparations. You can use them in a tea, mix with sparkling water for a natural soda, take by the shot glass, or add to a favorite dish. Drizzle over salad, try on your chicken dish or even in a soup recipe. Try experimenting. Look up recipes. Oxymels, tonics, syrups and shrubs allow many ways to incorporate botanicals, vinegars and herbal infusions into your daily routine and better your health and wellness.

If you haven’t heard I discovered a beekeeping family that infuses their wildflower honey with fruits and vegetables for the most amazing, delicious flavors you could imagine. These have been a hit and flying off the shelves. No worries. I plan to keep them stocked. There are 15 flavors to choose from. Here’s a sampling: apple, caramel, ginger, lemon, razzleberry, smoked and even watermelon. And that’s just a start.

Lastly, I came across another beekeeper (see the theme here) that makes these really delicious and unique beverages sweetened with honey. How about a Honey Sparkling Water or Honey Cream Soda? There even is a Honey Ginger ale.

More and more doctors are telling their patients to find honey for their sore throat, nagging cough and even laryngitis. After all, honey is a natural food with proven health benefits, also known as a functional food.

The North Bee in the village of Webster hopes to help you and your family nourish your mind, body and soul this upcoming season. I look forward to seeing you.

It's true!!! Real honey has many tastes, textures and aromas, along with proven wellness benefits.

Dinner party plans? Foodie on the gift list? Looking for natural immunity boosting benefits?

Honey. The answer to all of the above and more.

The sweet gold the bees produce is not all the same. Honey has varying degrees of color, aroma, taste and texture.

Real honey, that is.

And this all depends on many factors. The season the nectar was collected for starters. You can see this difference in your local honey. The nectar the bees gather in the spring compared to the nectar gathered in the fall will produce the different colors, tastes, aromas and textures. Of course, this is dependent upon the region of the country the plants are growing from which the bees are foraging.

Which brings us to our next varying factor in honey.

Location.

The varying landscapes and climates provide us different plants from which the bees can forage. Just like grapes and wine, honey will vary from region to region due to the plants. Our own country can provide us Oregon Meadowfoam, Florida Orange Blossom, Georgia Tupelo, New York Basswood, North Carolina Sourwood, California Black Sage and Washington Buckwheat to name a few. All of which can be found on the tasting table at The North Bee. Each time you visit you are able to sample over 28 varieties of honey from across the country and even from the Patagonia Rainforest.

Besides season and location the state of the honey itself will offer up its own mouthwatering experience. Only raw honey crystallizes. The texture of this is comparable to peanut butter with sugar crystals embedded within. Some prefer it this way often seeking out only crystallized honey. Perhaps they know that’s a sure sign it hasn’t been processed or heated in anyway. Some honey will take longer to crystallize than others, while some will crystallize as soon as its bottled. Aster honey is know for this.

Others look at the jar of crystallized honey and wonder…….what is wrong with this stuff? Nothing my friends, nothing. Did you know honey was pulled from ancient Egyptian tombs and found to be edible? Here is a link to that article https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/history/honey-in-the-pyramids.aspx

Not only is honey a natural sweetener it also has immunity boosting benefits. Have you ever tasted Buckwheat honey? You either like it or you don’t, there is no in-between. I happen to like it. I had a lady message me last week wondering if I carried buckwheat honey. Her doctor had recommended her to take. When she arrived at the store to purchase I knew why her doctor had recommended. She had laryngitis. I take buckwheat honey in the winter whenever I have a cough. Here is a great research paper on honey used for cough relive in children, specifically buckwheat. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4264806/

So aside from a sweeter for our tea, a treat off the spoon or a remedy for what ails us, did you know honey is a great addition to the cheese spread or gift basket for the foodie in your life. Honey is also THE perfect hostess gift.

Your eyes will widen and your mouth water when you see some of the amazing honey available on the tasting table and in the store for purchase. The next dinner party you are hosting or attending be sure to include a delightful honey for all to enjoy.

How about a California Wildflower Walnut infused honey on a slice of honey crisp apple or warm Brie?

Perhaps some local comb honey on a slice of baguette or a morning pancake.

A little Chocolate & Bergamot blended honey on a coconut crisp cookie or gently warmed and spread on fruit.

There is even desert honey that has been creamed and some wonderful ingredients added like, sea salt caramel, or real maple syrup. WOW!

You simply must come in the store yourself located at 27 North Ave in the village of Webster and spend a minute or 2 at the tasting table. And remember, the next time that throat begins to feel raw or that cough won’t quiet, find yourself some good RAW honey.