The Honey Connoisseur Book Review
All you ever wanted to know about honey, in one book
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Trivia alert: Did you know that the jars of honey found in King Tut's tomb were labeled with the honey's provenance, the date and location of its production, and the name of the person who sealed the jar?
Given the sweet, sticky artisanal favorite's history, it's no wonder bee experts C. Marina Marchese of Red Bee Artisanal Honey and Kim Flottum, editor of Bee Culture, have written a new tome. Their book, The Honey Connoisseur ($27), explores more than 30 varietals of honey, with a focus on terroir.
After sections that explore honey's history and production, the book's detailed tasting instructions include a color guide, from water-white to dark amber, and an aroma-and-tasting wheel.
The pairings section will prove useful for entertaining: Basic cheese-and-honey matches segue into more complex tasting flights that pair different varietals with, say, sour red cherries and sunflower butter.
The book is beautifully shot and wonderfully insightful; it may inspire you to pick up a few jars at your next farmers' market outing.
And that's what the buzz is about.