I always thought honey was basically the same across the board, so most times I’d just grab whatever honey bottle was on sale at the supermarket and call it a day.
Since i tried this unpasteurised honey in UK, I've ever since then tried to get Deliveroo to make raw honey London delivery this past couple weeks. Has anyone had a taste of a natural honey and just got hit with that different taste?
by HotlineTrouble
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Yeah raw honey can taste completely different from the standard supermarket stuff. Once it’s unpasteurised you start noticing the floral notes depending on where the bees were foraging. I’ve tried Sicilian raw honey before and it had a really rich flavour compared to the blended ones. If you like that kind of thing you might also enjoy raw acacia or wildflower honey too.
A lot of supermarket honey is filtered and blended from multiple sources so it stays clear and consistent on shelves. Raw or unpasteurised honey usually keeps more of its natural flavour, enzymes, and even a bit of texture. Big corps always want to profit so they mix things up
I didn’t even know there is such a thing called raw honey. I always get honey straight from the beekeeper. Well, I guess I was doing it raw whole my life then 🙂
No idea about how/if pasteurization changes the honey. But not mixing honeys from all over the world to create a consistent product is probably part of the reason the raw honey tastes better
I grew up on raw honey. It is divine. Some of favorites:
– Greek thyme honey
– Vietnam Ha Giang Mint Honey and Nam Dinh Longan Honey
– New Zealand stuffs
(Source in German)
https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/service/lebensmittel-ist-der-honig-aus-dem-supermarkt-nur-zuckersirup-a-8a5302cc-8b03-4e7e-a90c-87e093722200
Apparently a shocking amount of honey in the EU is tainted. In 2024 an association of beekeepers in Germany tested various honeys of the big German supermarkets such as Lidl, Aldi, Rewe, Edeka, Netto at a lab in Estonia and the huge honey brand Langnese using a new kind of DNA test.
It was revealed that ALL of the tested honey was tainted and declared non-authentic, which an Austrian lab confirmed.
The journalists also found out about companies in China manufacturing glucose-syrups that are engineered to fool the established tests. Apparently by just adding around 20% of this syrup to their honey, beekeepers (or big honey makers) could improve their profit margin by up to 100%.
Do with that information as you will. I for one, only buy honey from local beekeepers nowadays.
Where did you source this? I would be interested in trying
I am actually very surprised that you guys consider any supermarket blends honey and not simply a sugar syrup. *Raw honey* is thankfully a total, quality standard for honey in Poland.
For quality natural honey, The Laverde Artisan Sicilian flora honey like you have would be a top recommendation. And most honey from Slovenian Farms and Italian Honey Farms. Because most of the mass produced top shelves honey are mixed even if not pasteurised. You need to be intentional about what you want.
As you’re in England and enjoying this honey I’d recommended looking out for local suppliers to try eg heather honey – it’s really strong and one of my favourites.
A few local markets/small greengrocers and delis sell local honey near me in North Yorkshire. I always like the wildflower and heather ones the best. I think a place near me also sells honey from bees who have been living near lavender fields which I want to try! Honeycomb is also great, a proper chewy treat – I got that from a greengrocers.
I haven’t tried a Sicilian one before but it sounds amazing and now I’ll bee (haha) keeping an eye out!
UK doesn’t have a honey culture for some reason. I grew up with raw honey and how the flavour varies depending on location and time of year.
Try buying honey straight from a beekeeper some time, there is great honey in Britain as well, only not in most ordinary food shops.
Having avoided supermarket honey for all my life I’m not sure what’s the difference 😄
I used to buy raw (certified) Manuka honey to add to my Huel (I also used to have a teaspoon for myself) and despite it coming from the other side of the world there were clear health benefits: I didn’t get a cold for the whole time I took it, but Huel was also very good for that anyway, and I didn’t get any hay fever symptoms either.
i live in Poland and i buy honey from a local merchant in a village close to the town my mom lives in, and its natural, fresh and out of this world. My favorite variety is the rapeseed honey, it has a creamy light brown texture…out if this world…and here is a pic.
https://preview.redd.it/1bvw8f4ujsog1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cdc15a87d727a2073fbd476e95ddafb589695fb3
Real honey is out if this world.
Certain ones can almost be like balsamic dressings, ohers can taste like sweet lemon.
The London Honey Company do really good stuff.
Where did you buy your one from?
Yes! When I had Maltese honey I realised there is a big difference in taste from the honey I buy at the supermarket here in Sweden.
Honey is surprisingly one of the most frequently faked products in the world. I don’t trust corporate honey anywhere tbh, I always try to get mine locally straight from a beekeeper.
The best honey I got was in Greece from a friend, she knows someone who has beehives in the mountains above her town and she gave me pure, fresh honey- the kind you can’t buy in stores. That jar is a treat.
Wait a minute. Mixed with what? If it’s mixed with anything else than honey it means it’s not honey.
Even honyes from the same garden and bees will taste differently, according to plants that blooms.