FLORIDA HARVEST
TUPELO HONEY IS TRULY TERRIFIC MEMORABLY TASTY—AND LOADED WITH BENEFICIAL ENZYMES, POLLEN, VITAMINS, MINERALS
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Written by: Ava Grace
upelo honey offers a unique taste sensation. “It starts with a bright, fruity-floral burst that dissolves easily on the tongue, and then has a buttery, warm finish,” explains Brian Bertonneau, owner of Smiley Honey in Wewahitchka, Florida, in the Panhandle’s Gulf County. It is so remarkable that many people call it the “Cadillac of Honey” and the “Best Honey on the Planet.” Tupelo honey also holds the title of “State Honey of Florida”—no doubt awarded in large part because of the light amber-colored honey’s memorable taste. So how does this exceptional honey come about? Bees gather the nectar from the small white blossoms of the white gum tupelo tree, or nyssa ogeche, which appear from late April to early May. These trees grow mostly in southeastern Georgia and northwestern Florida. Some of the highest concentrations of white gum tupelo trees are found along the Apalachicola and Chipola river systems in Gulf
County, Liberty County and Calhoun County, all of which are located in Florida’s Panhandle. The trees grow best near the water—in wetlands or along riverbanks. Smiley Honey has been handling tupelo honey in one capacity or another since 1989. That is when beekeeper Donald Smiley started up the operation in his garage. At the height of it all, he had more than 1,000 beehives. In 2012, Smiley retired and sold the honey-bottling portion of the business to Bertonneau, who has since added more honey varieties. Haven’t yet tasted tupelo honey? You’re in for a delicious surprise! Bertonneau suggests first trying it from off a spoon. “After that, you can use it with hundreds of different foods. Drizzle some tupelo honey on goat cheese spread on a baked crostini. Use it as the star ingredient in homemade ice cream. Stir some into your morning oatmeal. Drizzle some on hot buttered pancakes. Add it to your favorite barbecue glaze. And on and on,” says Bertonneau. He enjoys tupelo honey on warm, crusty bread and hot cornbread muffins, and as the main ingredient in ice cream made with the recipe that can be found on his Smiley Honey website: smileyhoney.com/blogs/recipes/ super-easy-honey-ice-cream. Taste aside, what’s also remarkable about tupelo honey is its attractive tint. Hold the bottle up to the light and you’ll notice its light-greenish tint. It comes from
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F LO R I D A C O U NTRY D e c e m b e r | J a n u a r y 2 0 2 1
