I'm enjoying one of my Saturday visits to the SKY Farmer's Market last summer. (They should be up and running, BTW. If you're close to Bowling Green, I really hope you'll check them out!)
Anyway, in amongst the yummy fruits and vegetables, I find a table full of honey. I've never seen anything like it before. It has this deep red color -- like a garnet held up to the light -- as opposed to the brownish look of supermarket honey. It's a shade more expensive than the Kroger brand I usually buy, but I cannot resist.
See what I mean about the color?
I take the jar home and get in it immediately. I have awesome self control like that. It's different, kind of... minty? And thicker than the store brand, more appropriate to spoon than pour.
A while later Doug comes home, and he's all, "Local honey, huh? Is that for your allergies?"
Buh-wha? Allergies?
"Oh yeah," he continues. "My sister had really bad allergies until a woman from church told her to try local honey."
Well I could see the logic. Allergies come from a misguided immune response, when the body takes pollen for a dangerous invader. Honey comes from pollen. Duhhhh. So consuming it every day should sort of, teach the body that the stuff is harmless. Rather like an allergy shot, only WAY more delicious.
Fast-forward to fall. I have suffered from miserable allergies, every spring and fall, my entire life. That changed a few years back when Claritin-D went over the counter. But I never much cared for the Claritin. It made me kinda jittery and interfered with my sleep. Boo.
Not in fall 2009. I didn't have to take any Claritin. Honestly. Not even one. I'd have never believed it if I hadn't lived it. Happily, I stocked up on Kentucky honey before the market shut down. And finding Georgia honey was a major priority once we got ourselves settled here.
Now? Allergy season is in full swing. Doug is a sniffly, sneezy, crabby piece of crab. And I admit, I'm having a few sneezes and a touch of sore throat. I figure I didn't switch to Georgia honey soon enough for the full effect.
Best part, though? Guilt-free indulgence in the sweet tooth!
I feel like a giant jerk for failing to write this up at least a month ago. If you're suffering already, it's probably too late for local honey to do any good. But think of it this way. We've got a whole summer's worth of farmer's markets coming, during which we can all stock up for fall!
I've never heard this before, but I do love local honey. i buy it here and it is sooo much better than the honey in the supermarket!! Yum. :)
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. May try it for fall, as you say it's too late for Spring. Theo asked the important questions here: how much do you eat a day?
ReplyDeleteThat is a good question! I use it to sweeten my tea, for maybe 2 spoons a day. I also use at least 3-4 spoons a week in snacks. Like with peanut butter as apple dip. Or, just, on bread. Klassy. Also, I will soon be using it IN bread. Just got to work up to that!
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm putting it in place of refined sugar?
I realize this whole thing suffers from a correlation/causation fallacy. But whatever. Honey on bread has got to be better than a half a bag of Oreos.