How well do you know Czech honey? 16 facts about liquid gold
1. Apitherapy
It takes advantage of the proximity of bees, and invites people to the hives where they can relax and breathe the bee air, which has a positive effect on our health. In addition, so-called apitourism, including accommodation among beehives, helps to better explain the contribution of beehives to society and the planet.
2. From thieves to beekeepers
In the past, bees were not bred but robbed – we collected honey from wild bee colonies and tree cavities. It was only later that the profession of bee-keeping was born, digging holes in the trunks (bee-holes) and paying honey tithes to the nobility. Forest beekeeping eventually evolved into domestic beekeeping, and beekeepers took their bee hives from the trees to their dwellings.
3. "Kláty"
The name given to the first hives made of wooden logs. Incidentally, honey was extracted by first setting the combs in a pot, which was then placed in a warm oven after baking bread.
4. A cure
Honey is rich in enzymes and ferments – the oldest Czech herbarium from the 15th century prescribes it as a medicine. The digestibility of honey is improved by bees, which thicken the nectar with digestive juices. The complex sugars in the wort are then split into simpler ones, which go straight into the blood.
5. Honey is acidic
It has a pH of around 4, so it is classified as an acidic food. The acidity of honey is due to organic acids (gluonic, citric, malic, succinic...), which also often prove its authenticity.
Specials
Acacia honey stands out for its light colour, sweetness and medicinal properties, while offering a delicacy that subtly sweetens many dishes. Beware of confusion! The specialty does not come from the acacia tree, but from the acacia thorn tree, or false acacia.
Honeydew honey. Produced not only by bees, but also insects that feed on the sap of the plant's husks and excrete some of the sugar present through the digestive tract. The result is honeydew, the sap on the needles and leaves of trees, which the bees turn into honey. Its flavour and aroma include herbs, caramel, menthol, flowers, resins, malt. In short, it impresses, as does the dark and strongly aromatic buckwheat honey or chestnut honey with notes of dark chocolate, bread, nutmeg and truffles.
6. Honey for salt
The Chronicle of Dalimil describes the Czechs as bee lovers – beekeeping flourished in Bohemia in the 11th and 12th centuries. History mentions, for example, honey markets in Prague, where honey was exchanged for salt. We still excel in beekeeping today, with more than 60 000 beekeepers and over 700 000 bee colonies registered in the country.
7. Mead and gingerbread
In Central Europe, honey was valued in the same way as gingerbread and mead, and was exported from the Czech Republic along with the wax to neighbouring countries. Mead (known as mest, mede, medovec, medovka) was presented as a festive drink, cooked by honey merchants. Mead from Milevsko near Tabor was famous, among others.
Gingerbread is traditionally one of the oldest types of sweet pastry, eaten by the Egyptians and definitely not a Christmas candy. It was baked by selected bakers, usually from rye flour.
8. Braiding
Around the world there are enthusiasts like Václav Smolík from Oceteria who, instead of beekeeping, devotes himself to pollination – he keeps bees for pollination in the landscape and thus supports, among other things, the harvest in the fields. Incidentally, the EU once tried to calculate the value of bee colonies and came up with trillions of euros. There is probably no need to explain the price of bee pollen, which is sold as a superfood packed with flavour, protein and other beneficial substances.
9. Oxymel
Mix 3 parts honey, 1 part live apple cider vinegar, herbs, ginger, lemon and spices to taste, seal the jar, refrigerate and shake – in three weeks you can pour yourself an oxymel. Our ancestors sipped it for digestion, baristas mix it into cocktails (like tibi lemonade) and chefs aren't afraid to add it to dressings.
10. Counterfeits
Few foods in the world are adulterated like honey. Studies claim that one in two jars of imported honey may be dishonestly labelled. In the EU's defence, the honey directive is being revised, while a call goes out on social media for beekeepers who share the hashtag #HoneYstlabellingNow.
Many fakes (diluted with corn syrup, for example) come from China, end up on supermarket shelves, and kill off independent beekeepers with low prices. Millions of bee colonies, which (European) agriculture cannot do without, are at risk of being lost. The advice? Avoid honey from outside the EU and go to farmers' markets or to a local beekeeper.
11. A life's work
Did you know that one bee produces about a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime? That's all it takes – it dies after a few weeks. It's not until the end of the main laying season (August or September) that the long-lived bees are born, and they don't have as much to do over the winter, so they live about half a year.
12. Sommeliers
Honey is tasted like wine! Honey sommeliers are trained, for example, in Bologna, Italy, home of the National Register of Sommeliers of honey sensory analysis.
How is honey sampled?
First of all the colour is assessed – from light golden to amber to dark chestnut. The honey is then poured into a glass, warmed in the palm of the hand and stirred to fully develop the aroma. The glass is sniffed several times in succession, and in the next step, plug your nose and take a little honey on your tongue and behind your teeth. Once the honey has dissolved, relax your nose and breathe, ideally with your mouth closed. The olfactory cells are more sensitive than the taste buds and allow you to perceive complex taste nuances. When tasting, notice also texture, density and length of aftertaste – good quality honey will leave a longer response.
13. Urban beekeeping
Urban beekeeping is spreading around the world, relying on the botanical diversity of balconies, terraces and parks. Honey is characterised by a distinct and usually rich flavour profile.
14. Bee bread
Pollen (perga) is formed (or fermented) from flower pollen to which bees add honey and glandular secretions. The result is nutritious, easily digestible and extremely valuable, which is why it is taken from the hive only a little at a time. Honeycomb also deserves thanks – the edible honeycomb contains honey as well as wax, pollen and propolis.
15. More than sweetness!
A wide range of flavours and aromas await in a jar of honey, which (in the right measure) will round out or enhance other flavours in a meal. Chefs let it caramelise on roasted meats and elevate sauces, marinades or dressings in which it harmonises with apple cider vinegar, citrus juice and mustard, garum or soy sauce.
In our region, honey has traditionally been found with poppy seeds and nuts, but also with truffles or quince. These used to be preserved in the honey, as well as 'crystallised' barberries. Honey and butter are melted to spread on still-warm cakes, honey itself "glazes" baked croissants and flavours cream desserts and ice cream, or grilled cheese.
16. Wax
Cooks use it to prepare fruit, vegetables and fish. In Steirereck, Austria, they poach trout in it – the fillet is smothered with hot wax, covered with a lid and slowly cooked for 8 to 12 minutes until the waxy aroma takes over. It is accompanied on the plate by pollen caviar and quince vinegar. For dessert, they serve a pear that has been ripened for a year in wax – its flavour is complemented by whey caramel, cream, and wax ice cream and propolis.
Bread and honey
The Pythagoreans ate bread with honey, and the Greek philosopher Aristoxenos claimed that such a breakfast guaranteed a long life without illness. Thus, the combination of bread and honey has survived for more than 2,500 years, but in that time, butter has been added – and so have a lot of (subjective) preparation instructions.
While some opt for white wheat bread, baguette or brioche, others vote for dark rye or wheat-rye sourdough bread, which contributes to the harmony of the slightly sour and sweet flavours, not to mention the caramelised, baked crust. Bread spiced with fennel, aniseed, coriander or cumin is also paired with honey.
It should be spread on the slice fresh butter, and the temperature and quantity should be adjusted according to the honey and the type of pastry. Liquid, delicate spring-flower honey needs a thin layer of butter, but a more substantial (juicy rye) bread, whereas characterful dark honey deserves a higher layer of cold fat and rye-wheat or wheat bread that has not been baked to perfection – the crust is too substantial for it.
In any case, avoid too much crumb and softened butter – it's only a base and should not be mixed with honey.
Source: Ambiente chefs, Beekeeping, Marie Úlehlova-Tilschová, Das S Magazin
