Discussion
Anyone into raw honey?
I hadn't really heard of high quality honey beyond manuka prior to about 7 years ago. My mum was unwell in ITU and hanging by a thread and a friend sent me some sidr honey. Mum got better and I gave it to her. Never tried it myself because I just assumed it was the same as any other honey but in fancy packaging. Said friend is very generous and then would send the same honey once every year or two for my mum. One day I tasted it and Good Lord, it was amazing! Completely different texture and just mind blowingly amazing. I then googled it and found it's £80 for a 340g jar (see, generous friend!)
I've not bought any of that brand (Balqees, which, incidentally, was started by the older brother of 'prince' Naseem Hamed) but have bought from Latin Honey Shop and TheRawHoneyShop. Both excellent. Favourite from latin honey shop is Rivera Gum Honey. Currently and unsurprisingly sold out. It is amazing. And from raw honey shop, the chestnut honey is delicious.
Not a fan of manuka at all. The 5+, 10+, 20+ system just reeks of BS
I hadn't really heard of high quality honey beyond manuka prior to about 7 years ago. My mum was unwell in ITU and hanging by a thread and a friend sent me some sidr honey. Mum got better and I gave it to her. Never tried it myself because I just assumed it was the same as any other honey but in fancy packaging. Said friend is very generous and then would send the same honey once every year or two for my mum. One day I tasted it and Good Lord, it was amazing! Completely different texture and just mind blowingly amazing. I then googled it and found it's £80 for a 340g jar (see, generous friend!)
I've not bought any of that brand (Balqees, which, incidentally, was started by the older brother of 'prince' Naseem Hamed) but have bought from Latin Honey Shop and TheRawHoneyShop. Both excellent. Favourite from latin honey shop is Rivera Gum Honey. Currently and unsurprisingly sold out. It is amazing. And from raw honey shop, the chestnut honey is delicious.
Not a fan of manuka at all. The 5+, 10+, 20+ system just reeks of BS
I'm a beekeeper and love being able to harvest my own real honey. Nothing compares! Seasonal variation is huge. There are a lot of reports around just now of adulterated honey from overseas, which may be why most supermarket honey is tasteless. Suggest treating anything that states "a mix of EU and non-EU honeys" with suspicion.
Note that "raw" honey is currently an undefined and hence meaningless definition in the UK.
If you contact your local beekeepers association they will put you in touch with local beekeepers who can sell you honey at reasonable rates.
There was an article published recently which suggested Heather honey is just as good for us as Manuka, I'll try to find the link.
Note that "raw" honey is currently an undefined and hence meaningless definition in the UK.
If you contact your local beekeepers association they will put you in touch with local beekeepers who can sell you honey at reasonable rates.
There was an article published recently which suggested Heather honey is just as good for us as Manuka, I'll try to find the link.
Jambo85 said:
I'm a beekeeper...
Me too and it would be great if honey had all the magical properties claimed. But clinical evidence is minimal. It can inhibit bacterial growth but most of that seems due to traces of hydrogen peroxide or simple osmosis rupturing cell walls. Sugar syrup would do that just as well. No evidence it fights viruses.I can't see how it would help hay fever either since bees don't collect wind-born pollen, and the pollen they do collect won't appear in honey until long after that plant has stopped flowering.
Nimby said:
Me too and it would be great if honey had all the magical properties claimed. But clinical evidence is minimal. It can inhibit bacterial growth but most of that seems due to traces of hydrogen peroxide or simple osmosis rupturing cell walls. Sugar syrup would do that just as well. No evidence it fights viruses.
I can't see how it would help hay fever either since bees don't collect wind-born pollen, and the pollen they do collect won't appear in honey until long after that plant has stopped flowering.
Well that’s news - I thought honey was a age old remedy for allsorts.I can't see how it would help hay fever either since bees don't collect wind-born pollen, and the pollen they do collect won't appear in honey until long after that plant has stopped flowering.
Comments about raw honey definition noted. Maybe it's the new 'pulled' meat?
I guess taste and texture tells you what is more expensive than something else. I can definitely say the Balqees sidr stuff is v different to any supermarket honey I've bought before. It appears to have come down in price since I last checked though. Still a solid £56 for 445g
I guess taste and texture tells you what is more expensive than something else. I can definitely say the Balqees sidr stuff is v different to any supermarket honey I've bought before. It appears to have come down in price since I last checked though. Still a solid £56 for 445g
Nimby said:
Me too and it would be great if honey had all the magical properties claimed. But clinical evidence is minimal. It can inhibit bacterial growth but most of that seems due to traces of hydrogen peroxide or simple osmosis rupturing cell walls. Sugar syrup would do that just as well. No evidence it fights viruses.
I can't see how it would help hay fever either since bees don't collect wind-born pollen, and the pollen they do collect won't appear in honey until long after that plant has stopped flowering.
I agree but people swear by it, perhaps just a tasty placebo.I can't see how it would help hay fever either since bees don't collect wind-born pollen, and the pollen they do collect won't appear in honey until long after that plant has stopped flowering.
Actually I disagree with the windborne pollen part but that's a discussion for somewhere else!
MrJuice said:
Comments about raw honey definition noted. Maybe it's the new 'pulled' meat?
I guess taste and texture tells you what is more expensive than something else. I can definitely say the Balqees sidr stuff is v different to any supermarket honey I've bought before. It appears to have come down in price since I last checked though. Still a solid £56 for 445g
I struggle to see what could make honey worth that much really but perhaps if they are foraging exclusively on some rare and tasty plant...I guess taste and texture tells you what is more expensive than something else. I can definitely say the Balqees sidr stuff is v different to any supermarket honey I've bought before. It appears to have come down in price since I last checked though. Still a solid £56 for 445g
About "raw" honey - it was just to caution you that as it is undefined it is open to abuse. A lot of people take it to mean "not heated above 40 degC" as this has been shown to affect flavour. 40 degC is only slightly warmer than the core of a bee hive so theoretically nothing the honey hasn't experienced before.
Unfortunately if you don't heat honey it can be a bit cloudy and unpresentable. Some would argue the only truly "raw" honey is still in the comb.
Jambo85 said:
... A lot of people take it to mean "not heated above 40 degC" as this has been shown to affect flavour. 40 degC is only slightly warmer than the core of a bee hive so theoretically nothing the honey hasn't experienced before..
Bees do keep the brood larvae warm - 37 C approx , but the honey stores are well away from the brood and don't reach that temperature naturally (well, not here in the UK)Search on "HMF" (5-Hydroxymethylfurfural) for loads more info; it's quite complicated. You can heat honey above 40C briefly to liquefy crystalisation without HMF problems, but it keeps best at room temperature.
Coming back to this, any recommendations on where to buy good quality honey in the UK?
I went to buy some of the rivera honey from latin honey shop but they have halved the jar size and put the price up by 33%...so won't be buying any more on principle.
My preference would be for a thick consistency, almost fudge like and grainy. Happy to spend up to £30/kg
I went to buy some of the rivera honey from latin honey shop but they have halved the jar size and put the price up by 33%...so won't be buying any more on principle.
My preference would be for a thick consistency, almost fudge like and grainy. Happy to spend up to £30/kg
Integroo said:
I was in holiday in the Bulgarian mountains and came home with three large jars of honey - different varieties, one light, one dark and one pine. Absolutely delicious.
LovelyAre the Bulgarian mountains a decent destination for two adults and a 4/5 year old? Genuine question
MrJuice said:
Coming back to this, any recommendations on where to buy good quality honey in the UK?
I went to buy some of the rivera honey from latin honey shop but they have halved the jar size and put the price up by 33%...so won't be buying any more on principle.
My preference would be for a thick consistency, almost fudge like and grainy. Happy to spend up to £30/kg
British honey https://britishhoney.co.uk/I went to buy some of the rivera honey from latin honey shop but they have halved the jar size and put the price up by 33%...so won't be buying any more on principle.
My preference would be for a thick consistency, almost fudge like and grainy. Happy to spend up to £30/kg
MrJuice said:
Lovely
Are the Bulgarian mountains a decent destination for two adults and a 4/5 year old? Genuine question
Yes, I would say so, if what you want is peace and quiet, a few historic things to see, walks in the woods etc. I wouldn't go for much longer than four or five days however. Are the Bulgarian mountains a decent destination for two adults and a 4/5 year old? Genuine question
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