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September 18, 2007

Bees without Borders

By now you all know I love a good farmer's market. So you can imagine my delight when the Greenmarket of New York opened a new market that I can practically see from my kitchen window (if not for poor post-war architecture). So last weekend I spent hours hovering around the market stalls which were literally buzzing with activity, in particular, the activity of about 3,000 busy bees that Andrew Coté, of Andrew's Local Honey had brought with him to draw attention to his wares.

Although New York hardly seems like a healthy habitat for honey bees, the Union Square Green Market also boasts a beekeeper who keeps his hives on Manhattan rooftops. But as unlikely as it sounds, Andrew reminds me that wherever there are flowers, honey bees will survive and thrive. That was the inspiration for his burgeoning non-profit, Bees without Borders, which sets up hives as small business opportunities to help alleviate poverty around the globe. Andrew and his father have already begun teaching the art of beekeeping around the world, from their home in Norwalk, Connecticut to Nigeria and Iraq. And who better? His family has been keeping bees since the 1800s.

Beekeeping runs in my family too--My Uncle Henry raised bees in central Missouri, and I recall the pleasure of the oozy honey over my Aunt LaVonne’s hot buttered biscuits. Later, when I became an active gardener at the Clinton Community Garden on 48th street in Manhattan, I tried my hand at beekeeping with the community hive, but my enthusiasm came about at the same time as a death of the entire colony.

But as my uncle Henry always said, “I don’t make honey, the bees make honey.” So, I'm letting the bees do what they do best, and I'll continue to create the demand that keeps them in business. As an active honey-eater, I count all unfiltered acacia and eucalyptus honey among my favorites (which taste lovely on a buttery croissant with a cup of hot chocolate, particularly in Paris!). And I continue to seek out honey culture wherever I travel, like in Bulgaria, where I took this shot of simple jarred honeys on a roadside stand.

Since I’ve got bees on the brain, I was pretty excited to learn that there are more beekeepers in Hungary than in any other European nation---which is good news since I’m heading there today. If you’d don’t hear from me in the meantime, I’ll be busy making Mézeskalács (Hungarian Honey Cakes) or rolling strudel or drinking Tokaj, but I promise to come back with some great stories and recipes.

In the meantime, here are four great reasons to love the honey bee: one Local honey can help boost the immune system and alleviate allergies. two Raw (unheated) honey is an excellent source of antioxidants. three Albert Einstein once attributed the health of the human population to honey bees, since more than 1/3 of all food humans consume is thanks in large part to their labor. four Honey bees must travel a collective 55,000 miles, or twice the circumference of the earth, to collect enough pollen for one pound of honey.

Sarah Copeland, Busy Bee, Food Network Kitchens

Posted by Food Network at September 18, 2007 6:58 PM

Comments

Posted by: Ashley at October 1, 2007 12:44 AM

Posted by: Susan Gower at January 1, 2008 2:10 PM