BEE BREAD - INGREDIENTS

Bees use honey as their primary energy source, Pollen is whence they derive the rest of their nourishment: proteins, vitamins, and other vital nutrients. At first glance, Bee Pollen seems like quite a straightforward product - in the course of pollinating thousands of flowers every day, worker bees are repeatedly showered with grains of Pollen, some of which accumulate into granules on the hairs of their hind legs.

But the bees do not consume their Pollen fresh. Instead, they take it into the hive and pack the granules into empty comb cells, mixing them with nectar and digestive fluids and sealing the cell with a drop of honey. Once processed in this way, the Pollen remains stable indefinitely. Beekeepers call this form of pollen "Bee Bread".

Yet the sensory transformation of the Bee Pollen into Bee Bread might be most remarkable. The floral and herbal notes of individual granules become enhanced; the powdery, sandy texture becomes firmer and moister; the acidity from the lactic acid brightens the flavour and tempers possible bitterness; and the fermentation also produces secondary aromas that generate new flavours.