How do bees make honey?
Known for thousands of years, honey, a delicious golden nectar , delights our taste buds. A real culinary gem, this product with multiple virtues is consumed in cooking but also used as a therapeutic and cosmetic product. The fruit of hard and meticulous work by our charming little flying creatures that are bees, honey is one of the most natural and precious elements on this Earth.
Playing a crucial role in the making of liquid gold, bees travel hundreds of miles and visit countless flowers. They also play a vital role in pollinating plants , ensuring the survival of many ecosystems and thousands of agricultural crops.
Fauchon immerses you in the fascinating world of bees and gives you a detailed insight into the making of this sweet treasure.
Collecting nectar
Nectar is the essential raw material for making honey. Derived from flowers, nectar is a substance chemically composed of water and sugar, produced by nectar glands and which attracts pollinators. These insects will, through a meticulous process, collect the pollen that sticks to their legs and deposit it on the pistil of the flowers, thus allowing the fertilization and reproduction of many plants.
Foraging bees, thanks to their proboscis, will come and suck up the nectar from the pretty flowers and then store it in a pocket called a crop.
There is not just one honey! Depending on the location and the environment around them, different species of bees forage on specific flowers such as lavender, lime, acacia or all varieties of flowers to make a delicious honey with the sweetest flavors.
The transformation of nectar
Once the flowers have been pollinated and enough nectar has been collected, the bees head to the hive where the honey will be produced. The transformation process begins in the mouth of the foraging bee which, after regurgitating the nectar stored in its crop, will add specific enzymes (invertase and glucose oxidase) which will themselves transform the nectar into honey little by little.
Storage in the cells
After the nectar has been transformed, the worker bees will store the honey in the cells of the hive . The cells are small hexagonal cavities made of beeswax. Since the nectar still contains a lot of water, the bees still have work to do! This is the time to transform the liquid into a thick, sticky honey. This is the evaporation stage: the bees open their wings to ventilate the hive and create a current of air that will allow the water contained in the nectar to evaporate.
The ripening process
When the water content is below 20%, the bees seal the cells with wax to preserve and protect the honey . The honey, protected from air and humidity, then continues to mature for a few days, during which its texture and flavor evolve. The enzymes added by the bees play an essential role in the refining of the honey , since they will reveal the aromatic compounds that give the honey its very particular flavor.
Harvesting the Golden Treasure
The honey that has reached maturity is finally ready to be harvested: the beekeepers, equipped with overalls, will come and harvest the full cells by removing the wax caps previously created by our little bees. During the harvest, the beekeepers make sure to leave enough honey to feed the bees when the weather does not allow them to leave the hive.
The last step consists of centrifugation which allows the honey to be extracted, which is smooth and pleasant on the palate.
The incredible FAUCHON honeys
At Fauchon, we attach great importance to the quality of our products. Honey, found in the delicatessen category, is one of our flagship products. A multitude of flavors are highlighted: lavender, acacia, chestnut, lime, fir, etc.
Succumb to the delicious, creamy and golden Miel de Fleurs de France, made from spring flower nectars for a taste rich in sensation.
Opt for the Mini Chestnut Honey from Maison Fauchon. Chestnut honey is one of the most distinctive and appreciated varieties among honey lovers, known for its full-bodied and intense flavors , it often has woody and slightly bitter notes. Unlike most honeys, it stands out with its dark color.
Want to discover different honeys? Fauchon reveals its Discovery Assortment of 5 Honeys from France, a box of 5 honeys with rich and incredible flavors: floral, fruity, menthol or woody notes, there is something for everyone!
For all your sweet desires and pleasures , think of honey: on toast, in your yogurts, in your herbal tea, its use is infinitely varied. To share with family, alone or with friends, vary the pleasures and savor the sweetness of what is nicknamed liquid gold.
The health benefits of honey
Much more than just a natural sweetener, honey has been recognized for thousands of years for its many health benefits . Composed of natural sugars, it provides instant energy. Long used to treat sore throats and coughs, it has healing but also anti-oxidant properties . Its natural antiseptic and antibacterial qualities encourage the use of honey as a cosmetic treatment to nourish and moisturize the skin.
Honey, a pure treasure, is a truly complex process orchestrated by bees. Savoring a spoonful of golden honey is a taste of the sweetness of life and an appreciation of the determination and hard work of bees!
