Clove & Hive Honey Sticks

I did have a chance to visit the Renaissance Festival on I think the first weekend of March before it had to close up early. This was the first year in which I was actually considering going a second time, how about that? So I thought I'd take a moment in which we can all reminisce about novelties by sharing my thoughts on the honey sticks that I got there from The Clove and Hive.

Usually honey sticks are either plain or flavored--so when we see honey sticks set out with different labels, we expect those labels to say things like Strawberry, Raspberry, Cherry, etc. So at first glance some people might be a little taken aback to see labels like Avocado and Eucalyptus. But these aren't that type of honey stick, remember: those aren't what the honey has been flavored with, those are the plants that the bees were hanging around when making their honey.

Isn't that fun? Usually our honey choices are limited to spring blooms, fall blooms, clover, citrus, or desert blooms here in the Southwest. Things like that. So getting this range of origins to explore in honey is like taking it into chocolate or wine tasting boundaries--or just making a fun game out of honey sticks.

There were twelve flavors, visible in either light or dark color.

Star Thistle is sweet and light and golden. Buckwheat is rich and dark, reminding me of farmland and open air and plants. Meadowfoam was light and sweet in a floral way; I felt like a hummingbird drinking its nectar. Wildflower is rich and syrupy, while Orange is light and golden.

Coffee is richer, almost bitter if honey could be bitter; its sweetness is deeper and paler. Eucalyptus is light and sweet with a spring in its step and some richness to it. Avocado is one of the darker-colored honeys and it tastes thicker and more syrupy, almost like agave nectar or molasses but lighter and sweeter than molasses.

The Dark Buckwheat is very rich, like leather and liquor but with a sweet core because once again, it's still honey. Blackberry is mild in flavor with a floral tone. Mojave Buckwheat somehow has both richness and lightness, so rich yet also mild; it would make a great standard honey. And Organic Clover is light with an earthy undertone that makes it almost slightly bitter; the floral tone of its sweetness reminds me somewhat of the Blackberry.

Ah, I love when foods offer so much variation. Whatever you do, don't buy the generic honey bears. Whether you find some cool flavors or just get the spring blooms or just buy whatever local honey you see without even reading all the details, treat yourself to some good honey on a daily basis. And when you do get a chance to try out some cool honey sticks from Clove & Hive or someone else, go for it. The simple pleasures make life sweet.