Comb Honey

[VeraBlue]

This past winter, at our yearly Vermont champagne tasting party, we discovered the new chef placed comb honey on the cheese boards. Admittedly, it was my first taste of authentic comb honey. I was immediately hooked. I've been searching for it since December. I finally found a shop on Bleeker street, NYC that carries comb honey, cultivated from Italian honey bees.

It's magnificent.

Last night, I cut a small square off the 16oz piece I bought. I served it with three different cheeses and other bite size edibles. It makes a lovely presentation as it bathes in it's own small pool of honey. Cut a tiny wedge off and eat it simultaneously with the cheese is indescribably delicious. I even spread a small bit on a philly pretzel, and again, it was delicious.

I did a bit of research on how to properly store comb honey. I can simply leave it on the counter, not lying flat, or freeze it. I don't imagine I'll have it around for over long....so the counter wins.

Anyone else addicted to comb honey?

 

[Uncle Bob]

Miss Vera it used to be quite common here, but I see it less often now...never in a chain grocery..I do know of three or four road side "fruit stands" that will carry local honey in quart and pint jars...some of it with a large chunk of comb. I buy it fairly often, and love to chew it... It seems the younger crowd does not appreciate local honey...especially the jars with comb...They would rather have Sue Bee from Kroger....Go figure!

 

[Loprraine]

A Chef friend of mine turned me onto it a few years ago. When i see it at the Farmer's Market, I buy it. Great stuff!

 

[Constance]

I have loved comb honey since I was a little girl, but I haven't had any in a long time. Perhaps I can find some at the farmers' market this summer.

I never thought of serving it with cheese, but that sounds good.

Personally, I like it best on a hot homemade biscuit with a pat of butter.

 

[JoAnn L.]

This past winter, at our yearly Vermont champagne tasting party, we discovered the new chef placed comb honey on the cheese boards. Admittedly, it was my first taste of authentic comb honey. I was immediately hooked. I've been searching for it since December. I finally found a shop on Bleeker street, NYC that carries comb honey, cultivated from Italian honey bees.

It's magnificent.

Last night, I cut a small square off the 16oz piece I bought. I served it with three different cheeses and other bite size edibles. It makes a lovely presentation as it bathes in it's own small pool of honey. Cut a tiny wedge off and eat it simultaneously with the cheese is indescribably delicious. I even spread a small bit on a philly pretzel, and again, it was delicious.

I did a bit of research on how to properly store comb honey. I can simply leave it on the counter, not lying flat, or freeze it. I don't imagine I'll have it around for over long....so the counter wins.

Anyone else addicted to comb honey?

Try a small piece on a slice of dill pickle with just a little dab of sour cream. Delicious.

 

[buckytom]

we buy comb honey whenever and wherever we see it. our latest haul was from amish country.

we were turned on to this on a trip to vermont years ago. i don't know why, but it seem sweeter than honey that been spun out.



vb, how do they know they're italian honey bees? are they hairy?

do they build perfectly plumb and square combs? (j/k)

does the place on bleeker know if it's a specific flower honey, or just wildflower?

 

[VeraBlue]

They would rather have Sue Bee from Kroger....Go figure!

That's awful! Given the opportunity to get fresh comb honey, versus something processed, I'd go with the fresh, every time.

 

[VeraBlue]

I have loved comb honey since I was a little girl, but I haven't had any in a long time. Perhaps I can find some at the farmers' market this summer.

I never thought of serving it with cheese, but that sounds good.

Personally, I like it best on a hot homemade biscuit with a pat of butter.

After the cheese board on Friday night, we were left with the equivalent of about 2T. I was planning on making pancakes for breakfast on Saturday. When I melted the butter for the batter, I added the small chunk of honey,melting it, as well. It was a nice touch to the batter, instead of sugar.

I got mine at a artisnal cheese shop, but did notice a couple of places on line when I was looking how to store it. Good to know it's available, out there.

 

[Loprraine]

Nice idea. Thanks, VB!

 

[VeraBlue]

we buy comb honey whenever and wherever we see it. our latest haul was from amish country.

we were turned on to this on a trip to vermont years ago. i don't know why, but it seem sweeter than honey that been spun out.



vb, how do they know they're italian honey bees? are they hairy?

do they build perfectly plumb and square combs? (j/k)

does the place on bleeker know if it's a specific flower honey, or just wildflower?

Very funny, friend

The case the comb in described it as 'cultivated from italian honey bees', so I imagine it's imported from Italy. It was pricey enough to make that assumption, too. There was very little other information on the box; so no, I don't know what type of flower it's from.

 

[Wart]

I'm really worried about our bees, but that's another story.


I first had comb honey when I was a kid, had it a few times since. Good Stuff! Wife brought a square home a while back, I cut out a chunk, don't know what happened to the rest. Overall comb honey is a bit more of a mess than I care to deal with.

I buy raw honey by the quart or gallon from local bee keepers. Pretty much the only processing done to this honey is spinning and straining. Far more flavorful than the overly processed store bought stuff. But then this honey is from a variety of plants so it will tend to have unique characteristics.

 

[blissful]

When I helped, one year, with bees and taking the honey out of the combs (in a spinner), I had to break the comb (top) so the honey would flow out. It's by far easier to leave the honey in the comb for sale, if the market would support it. You could probably find it by asking any bee keeper (or the farmers that let them keep their hives on the farm). ~bliss

 

[LadyCook61]

Hubby used to do beekeeping and had honeycomb , I don't recall we ever ate the honeycomb. I know he used the spinner to get the honey off. He doesn't do beekeeping since bears destroyed the wooden hives about 10 yrs. ago.