The Greek and Their Honey

Have you ever noticed that in every fine Greek dish, honey is THE ingredient. It is what defines baklava, pastries, and pancakes. Honey is glued to the history of Greece, especially during their ancient times, where they rise from their greatness.

Sweet Beginnings

In Greek, “Mele” is the word for honey. And “Melissa” is the word for honey bee. Since the ancient times, honey has been favored among the people, both as food and medical treatment. The Greek “Father of Medicine”, or Hippocrates, once wrote, “Honey and pollen cause warmth, clean sores and ulcers, soften hard ulcers of lips, heal carbuncles and running sores.” Not to mention, the infamous philosopher and student of Socrates, Aristotle, claimed honey prevented aging, as well as prolonged life.

Greece is where the art of beekeeping, or apiculture, began in early prehistoric times. Precisely the 5th century BC or later, archaeological evidence shows that bees were kept in ceramic beehives—(large pottery jars).

 Today Greek beekeepers still harvest by hand using the ancient traditional process. The process states to harvest anywhere from late spring until late autumn. The honey will be extracted cold, and is unfiltered to promise the various health beneficial properties in the nectar. As a matter of fact, honey was the first sweetener used by the Greeks in their diet. It was included in their preparation of delicacies -which is why it was so popular. Honey, among with grapes and olives, created the beginning of Greek gastronomy.

Honey Mythology

Honey has the largest mythological tradition in all the combined histories of the world. In Greek mythology, bees are the messengers of the gods and honey, being a reference of wisdom. Honey was also claimed to deliver extraordinary powers to its consumer. One example of this is in the Iliad and Odyssey of Homer- the ancient Greek bible. It was mentioned that the gods of Olympus lived on honey (nectar) and honey wine (ambrosia). Greeks used honey in their everyday life in consult to Zeus and the other gods, who were raised on honey.

Honey was the food and the drink of the gods, and since prehistoric times, honey was the most precious – and only – sweetener available. It was used as healing treatment and ointment, not only by the Greeks, but the Egyptians and Babylonians too.

Greek Honey

Greek honey is one of the most nutritional, natural food, rich with vitamins, amino acids, minerals and antioxidants. The unique mixture of ingredients of Greek honey claims to prevent fatigue and enhance athletic performance.

Greece proudly boasts more bee hives “per acre” than any other European country. You can find the best honey from Greece in “Thyme” (Thimari in Greek). It is considered to be the best honey in the world, preferred by honey connoisseurs.

The success to such great honey includes the endless summer sun, biodiversity among the Greek countryside, and rare-variety of Greek Flora grown nowhere else on the planet. Earth scientists and botanists conclude Greece, the country with the most abundance in flora of the Mediterranean Sea (including more than 7,500 plant species, wild flowers, herbs, trees, and overall biodiversity) , is the best place to consider beekeeping, and value the honey traditions.

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