The taste of pure Greek honey is unforgettable. Who could resist a refreshing bowl of creamy yoghurt with a drizzle of honey or a generous spread of the ‘nectar of the gods’ on more than one slice of freshly-bake, breakfast bread. In antiquity, this Greek superfood was cherished not only as a traditional sweetener for food and drink but for its health benefits. Melikrato was a mixture of honey and milk given to growing children and, if ancient storytelling holds true, the Thrace born philosopher, Democritus, lived to 90 (some writers suggest 104) because he enjoyed an habitual diet of oenomelo (wine and honey) with bread. Today high quality honey is proven rich in antioxidants.

But why is Greek honey so distinctively delicious offering an array of flavors and color varying from pale gold to darker hues? The answer lies in the glorious Greek countryside covered in an enormous variety of wild flowers, trees and shrubs. Greek honey is classified in two groups; floral honey, the paler hues, made from the nectar of flowers and the darker varieties of forest honey made from fir trees, including pine.

Greece has more beehives per acre than any European country, with an estimated 15,000 beekeepers attending 1,200,000 hives. The art of beekeeping is a long tradition and skilled Greek beekeepers ensure an excellent quality natural product. Among the many varieties of Greek honey are thyme and pine from the Aegean Islands; thyme, orange blossom, fir, chestnut blossom from the Peloponnese; as well as the taste of pine and heather from Halkidiki in the North.

The consumption of honey in Greece is one of the highest in the world and pure honey is a favorite ingredient in Greek cuisine. From breakfast specialties to the traditional desserts for celebrations of all kinds, honey adds the essence of the countryside to the Greek gastronomical heritage. For a taste of what is awaiting you; acacia honey, fir honey, vanilla fir honey, thyme honey, sunflower honey, pine tree, orange citrus honey and heather honey. How sweet it is.