BEES FILLING COMB WITH NECTAR
COMB HONEY
WAX FLAKES EXCRETING FROM WAX PRODUCING GLANDS
COMB HONEY
Comb honey, in simplest terms, is the rawest form of honey available. The worker bee “architects” build tiny beeswax hexagons to give their young a place to develop and grow, to allow for the storage of pollen and nectar, and of course, a place to house the honey they produce. When you buy a jar of honey, the beekeeper has either crushed the comb to squeeze out the honey or used a centrifuge to sling the honey from the wax. The honey is then placed in jars.
A century ago, comb honey was a very common product. In fact, it was more common to find comb honey than it was to find jars of honey. These days the only beekeepers that generally produce comb honey are small-scale or hobbyist beekeepers. Why? Comb honey does take a bit more nuance and patience to produce. Also, a beekeeper that uses a centrifuge to jar honey will reuse the wax comb hexagons after the honey is removed, which allows them to produce more honey much more quickly.
Beeswax is produced by honey bees at age 12-18 days. When these bees consume great amounts of honey and nectar, they are able to produce very thin scales of beeswax from 8 organs on the underside of their abdomens. They use their back legs to gather up the wax, bring it up to their mouth parts, and then use their mandibles to chew and form it into those perfect hexagons.
Beeswax is completely safe for you to eat. When eating comb honey by itself, you will be left with a bit of wax in your mouth. You can spit it out, chew it like chewing gum, or swallow it. Many folks don’t like this waxy feeling in their mouth. If you are one of these, I strongly encourage you to not give up on comb honey so quickly. When consumed in conjunction with other food (for example, on a pecan), you aren’t left with any sort of wax in your mouth afterwards!
Honeycomb may also boost liver function and serve as a sugar alternative for people with diabetes.
SERVING IDEAS
Pair with plain or candied nuts such as pecan, a variety of cheeses and crackers.
Switch up your breakfast routine by adding a bit of comb honey atop your yogurt or oatmeal. I’m personally not a big oatmeal fan, but adding comb honey to a cup of Greek yogurt is a delicious, healthy experience.
Create a grilled peanut butter and comb honey sandwich. Place the sandwich in a pan with a bit of butter, flipping it over a time or two to ensure it gets evenly toasted. The heat from the pan will make sure that peanut butter, honey, and wax melt together, and then melt in your mouth.
Comb honey in a salad. Make a savory salad topping arugula with a salty pecorino, a few pecans and apples, a bit of olive oil, freshly ground pepper, and a few dollops of comb honey.
A combination of goat cheese, figs, arugula, topped with small bits of comb honey make the most amazing pizza.
Of course, sometimes the best way is the simplest way to eat comb honey~with a spoon!
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