Other the fact that it's a great Van Morrison song... a lot.
We recently read an article about Tupelo honey that opened our eyes to what a rare, seasonal, and utterly unique thing it is.
For example, did you know that Tupelo honey is the only honey that will not crystallize? And the because of the specific ratio of different sugars, it's the only honey diabetics can eat?
Right this minute, some very busy honeybees are feasting on Tupelo trees in Florida and Georgia, taking in as much as they can in the short blooming season from late April to May. Read on for more facts and to find out how you can get your hands on some of this stuff...
The production of Tupelo honey is not easy. Beehives have to be moved to the groves of Tupelo trees, which grow along four rivers in northwest Florida and southern Georgia. The trees only blossom for three to four weeks, so beekeepers truck their hives right into the thick of it to get the best honey.
The article we read, in Garden & Gun magazine, was about George Watkins, a beekeeper in the Florida panhandle, who loads his hives onto a barge and moves them up the river so that his bees can work deep in the tupelo groves. Watkins was even a consultant on the film Ulee's Gold, with Peter Fonda, which is all about harvesting Tupelo honey.
• Read the article: Liquid Gold, from Garden & Gun
Watkins sells his honey in his hometown, but it's so prized—and in limited supply—that only the locals get it. Here's a fact from the article that puts the production in perspective: Biologists estimate it takes two million Tupelo tree flowers to produce one pound of honey. One honeybee produces about 1/12 of a teaspoon in its lifetime. Wow.
If you want to buy Tupelo honey, the Savannah Bee Company is one that distributes it across the country. You can find it in specialty stores like Dean & Deluca.
• Visit the Savannah Bee Company website.
As for the taste of Tupelo honey, we can't tell you firsthand. We've never had it. We've read it's buttery, fruity, smooth, and impossible to describe. Does anyone want to give us their account?
Related: Beekeeping on a Brooklyn Rooftop
(Image: Savannah Bee Company)
I have had it, I don't remember where I bought the bottle (probably at a high-end store in New York - not Dean & Deluca), but it is by far the best honey I have ever had. I remember it being very floral and fruity and the sweetness wasn't as cloying as some other honeys. Last time I saw it for sale was in a gift shop in Asheville NC back in December.
It is terrific try it if you can find it.
view centrejack's profile
It is my favorite honey, though we don't have a wide array of choices. Somewhere in NY (Chelsea food building maybe?) there is a store with exotic flavored honeys from all over the world. I couldn't decide how to choose and didn't buy any, though I still think of it. Tupelo Honey is delicious, a great song, and the name of my fantasy pony.
view Kate (NC)'s profile
Honey is such a fascinating food! I recently tried Sardinian bitter honey and it was unlike anything I'd had before. Truly, honey is like wine in that the terroir is so important in determining flavour.
http://danamccauley.wordpress.com
view Dana McCauley's profile
Oh, and the secret ingredient in my tomato pasta sauces.
view Kate (NC)'s profile
I heard down near New Orleans that the bees make in the swamps there, too.
view Joan A.'s profile
Cool! My brother-in-law is an expert on Tupelo honey.
Here's a little bottle of it that accompanied some home-made buttermilk biscuits:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/3435982379/
It was delicious! Morgan! Send us more!
view art's profile
After reading this article this morning I thought I'd like to order some - lo and behold, when I went to get lunch from the local fancy food market there were bottles of Savannah Bee Company Tupelo honey for sale! I splurged and bought a 12 oz. bottle for a bit less than the web price. I can't wait to try it.
view mel.d's profile
You gotta love Tupelo! Aparies along the Apalachicola river have harvested this honey for generations. There is definately a unique honey culture in the North Florida panhandle. Unfortunately, humans have stepped in once again and made it hard for people relying on this resource for their livelihoods to survive. Activities such as dredge and fill and damming for hydroelectric power have altered the rivers' dynamics, therefore, altering the rivers characteristics, including the abundance and structure of Tupelo tree stands.
Here, in and around Tallahassee, Florida and the adjacent coasts this treat can be purchased from roadside vendors or at smaller food co-ops. Art, your wish is my command, keep your eyes peeled!
view morgs's profile
I am lucky enough to buy Savannah Bee Co. Tupelo at my local Fresh Market. Yes, the best tasting honey ever!
view JEP's profile
Totally off-topic, but it's also a FABULOUS restaurant in Asheville, N.C. (I see the city mentioned above!) Go there if you ever visit.
view Confabulation's profile
Tupelo is my favorite honey -- smooth and fruity and not too sweet. That whole thing about it not granulating is true, but who lets it sit around long enough? Fresh, Florida Tupelo honey is available for delivery right to your door at http://www.armadillopepper.com/Honey_c7.htm
view ArmadilloPepper's profile