GreekIslandGirl wrote:This is about honey, not souvla!
Anyway, it's rather disconcerting that this honey winner is a big company (ltd). Maybe they buy from lots of producers and then blend. Perhaps that's the only way to secure a win. Cannot imagine some of the old folk we've bought honey from managing to get enough together for a competition - which adds to the mystery and exclusivity of small producers. My auntie who lived next to the church, on a hillside, used to keep bees and I remember helping her smoke the bees out to collect the honey. My first experience of a bee sting.
The best honey still has to retain a little smokiness and I find that the mass produced ones do not - haven't tried this winning honey to see how authentic it tastes but I have two Cypriot honeys on the go at the moment, Orange and Blossom (hmm) - bought from a supermarket and they have no smokiness. Greece still manages to produce the most rich and intense treacly honey. But again, it's lots of individuals making their own, which is charming but may not receive any accolades.
I agree 100%.
I always take these competitions with a grain of salt. I believe there are many small producers in Cyprus who produce better honey than this big award winning company.
From what I have been able to gather from my supplier who is a very small family business, is that most beekeepers are very pedantic about their bees. They absolutely love and tend to their bees with a great deal of passion and dedication. They are passionate about organic farming, do not blend and produce several honey varieties themselves. There is a certain ammount of exclusivity and they produce excellent honey. He is so passionate about his beehives, I have even learned about bee species. Apparently that too plays a role in the texture and taste of the honey. I mean honestly! Who would have thought?
These guys would not be in a position to participate in these 'competitions'.
General rule of thumb is do not buy from a supermarket or massed produced blended honey. Support the little guy.
Still be interested in trying this award winning honey though in order to compare.
