THE SWEETEST SOUVENIR

By Waheeda Harris

From Slovenia to NewZealand and beyond, honeyis creating a buzz worldwideas apitourism soars.

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

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

BEEKEEPING IS AN ART IN SLOVENIA

© CIRIL JAZBEC

Beyond Slovenia, many countries around the planet producevarious types of honey, from kitchen staples to the rarest ofelixirs.

A WIDE WORLD OF HONEY

Alfalfa, clover and wildflower are some of the commonly seentypes of honey on grocery shelves or at farm stands. Rarevarieties include Tualang honey, produced by a giant honey beeusing jungle flower nectar in the Malaysian rainforest; sidr honey,sourced from the sidr trees in the forests of eastern Yemen; andhoney from Pitcairn Island, a tiny pollution-free South Pacificisland 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.

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. 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 twoto 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.

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.

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 give this honey a highly aromatic quality. Bright yellow in colour with a soft butter consistency, it is easily spreadable and has a spicy taste. Health-conscious honey lovers appreciate it for its high levels of antioxidants and immune-boosting properties.

RAW TASMANIAN HONEY

© TOURISM AUSTRALIA