Food - Honey Facts

Jigna Padhiar

Honey, that magic, translucent potion, is now available in different flavours. The one that’s gaining popularity is the unifloral variety— nectar gathered by bees from a single kind of flower.

Some of the other flavoured kinds available are:

Jambhul: thick consistency, dark amber, slightly bitter, strong flavour, this one is the best antibacterial honey among the unifloral variety.

Karvi (Carvia / Collosa): one of the most expensive in the market, this one is purplish because it is made from Karvi flowers. It’s one of the most sought after, because the Karvi flowers bloom once in eight years. This one cures stomach ailments.

Leechi: a light coloured, creamy honey with a distinctive leechi flavour, this one is produced in Muzzafurpur’s Terrai lands.

Mahua and Palash: dark amber, this one comes from central India. Strong and sweet with an earthy flavour, it has subtle floral hints and is often used in Darjeeling iced tea.

Cashew: smooth, pungent, mildly intoxicating, it’s produced in cashew farms along the Arabian ocean coastline.

Golden Arita: valued for its medicinal properties, it is made from Arita flowers which grow in the forests of south India. It is a golden liquid with a pleasant aroma and a rose after taste.

Other flavours that could be the next attractions include ajwain, jamun, apple blossom, neem, coconut, sunflower, coffee, cotton, cardamom, kher, karanji, walnut and saffron.

Khadi Gram Udyog is a must-visit for flavoured honey. Vijaya Pastala set up Under the Mango Tree in Colaba last December. It sells organic products including unifloral honey.

Pastala says, “Most people do not differentiate between different kinds of honey because they are not aware that honey is available in different flavours.”

Pastala says that honey can be made from any seasonal flower. The new flavours she has introduced this season are sesame, mustard and bajra.