The Sweetest Souvenir

From Slovenia to New Zealand, honey is creating a buzz worldwide as apitourism soars.

By Waheeda Harris

Prized for centuries as a natural sweetener, honey is not only one of the world’s oldest sweet treats, but has also been part of the natural medicine cabinet used by healers to treat cuts, burns, coughs, colds and indigestion. Today, honey, created by bees using local floral nectars, makes for the sweetest of souvenirs, giving a whole new meaning to the expression “a taste of place.”

Encouraging honey devotees to explore destinations in pursuit of the natural elixir, apitourism is flourishing in Italy, Greece and Canada, welcoming tourists to tastings on farm tours and the fine art of beekeeping. With a lengthy history of beekeeping, Slovenia has been a strong proponent of apitourism and boasts the highest percentage of beekeepers per capita in the European Union. As the first country to proclaim May 20 as World Bee Day, it was honouring one of its own on his birthdate — Anton Janša, a noted 18th-century bee expert and beekeeping teacher for Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa.

Beyond Slovenia, many countries around the planet produce various types of honey, from kitchen staples to the rarest of elixirs.

BEEKEEPING IS AN ART IN SLOVENIA

© CIRIL JAZBEC

A WIDE WORLD OF HONEY

Alfalfa, clover and wildflower are some of the commonly seen types of honey on grocery shelves or at farm stands. Rare varieties include Tualang honey, produced by a giant honey bee using jungle flower nectar in the Malaysian rainforest; sidr honey, sourced from the sidr trees in the forests of eastern Yemen; and honey from Pitcairn Island, a tiny pollution-free South Pacific island with a population of 48.

Turkish Peri Bali, often called elvish or fairy honey, is considered the world’s most expensive honey, recently priced at 5,000 euros per kilogram. Sourced from caves in the northeastern region of Turkey, the scant supply has made this specific honey a rare commodity. Turkey is the world’s second-largest producer of honey, while China takes the top spot with almost 500,000 metric tons per year.

HONEYBEES HARD AT WORK

‘UN-BEE-LIEVABLE’ SOUVENIRS

A tasty way to experience the flowers of a destination’s landscape, honey makes for a great souvenir to take home or gift. And properly sealed and stored, it can last for several years. Make sure to read the label or ask a vendor for raw or unpasteurized honey. Here are some popular options to try:

Manuka honey, New Zealand. The Maori refer to the manuka bush as taonga, translated as ‘treasure.’ Sourced after the two- to six-week period when the Manuka shrub blossoms, this honey is a light shade of yellow which naturally darkens over time. It has an earthy, somewhat herbaceous flavour, and has become one of the world’s most popular thanks to its high antimicrobial properties.

BEE HIVES, HILL BAY ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND

Miel de Galicia, Spain. Sustainable beekeeping is a hallmark of this northwest region of Spain, where honey is produced in the protected Sierra de los Ancares Mountains. Reflecting a spectrum of shades from pale yellow to deep amber, this honey’s notable flavours include eucalyptus, blackberry, chestnut and heather.

Tupelo honey, southern United States. Sourced from the flower nectar of the Tupelo tree, a type of lime tree that flourishes in the swampy areas, it has a unique amber hue with a distinct green shade because of the Tupelo’s flower pollen. Honey devotees love its bold flavour.

RAW TASMANIAN HONEY

© TOURISM AUSTRALIA

Slovenski med, Slovenia. The indigenous Carniolan bee is responsible for the country’s own supply as well as that for most of Europe. Prized for its very low water content, Slovenian honey has flavourful notes, courtesy of trees like acacia, linden, chestnut, fir and spruce.

Leatherwood honey, Australia. In Tasmania, the leatherwood trees bloom every summer, which gives this honey a highly aromatic quality. Bright yellow in colour with a soft butter consistency, it is easily spreadable at room temperature and has a spicy taste. Health-conscious honey lovers appreciate it for its high levels of antioxidants and immune-boosting properties.