With a research organisation revealing that most commercial branded honey is adulterated, heres a look at indie makers who promise the real deal
Some major Indian honey manufacturers had to swallow a bitter pill when the Centre for Environment and Science — a public-interest research and advocacy organisation based in Delhi — revealed data last week where only three out of 13 brands that it tested for purity, made the cut. The rest were found to contain modified sugar syrups. We pick four home-grown brands with authentic products.
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Going places
"Nearly 50 per cent of all the honey sheds in India are located in Gwalior," says Vipin Singh Bhadoria about his native place in Madhya Pradesh. That's where he sources most of his material from, for his brand Beekeepers Raw Honey, though he also gets it from Bhind and Shivpuri in MP, Agra in Uttar Pradesh, and Kota in Rajasthan. He explains that honey manufacturing is a migratory business, in the sense that when the nectar of one set of flowers runs out, they have to shift their operations to a new place with suitable flowers. Bhadoria also tells us that the adulteration that the bigger brands have been accused of was an open secret within the industry. "The experienced guys would tell us that these people import the syrup under a different name and then use it in their honey," he says, adding that he sells a 500 gm jar for Rs 350.
Call 9869365087
Seasonal changes
Mohsin Saleh started Pure Honey, a shop in Andheri West, in December last year. Collecting honey is a hobby for him. "There isn't a single state in India that I haven't sourced honey from," he says, adding that he extended his passion into a business of sourcing raw material from Palanpur in Gujarat before bottling it in Mumbai. Saleh sells a 500 gm jar for Rs 440 and says, "You will get different colours whenever you take honey from me, since they vary depending on the season and flowers."
Call 9820910806
Climbing heights
The folks at Hoopoe on a Hill work with the Adivasi community in the forests of Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu, but they deliver the honey they get there to Mumbaikars as well. Co-founder Priyashri Mani says that the tribal have been practising their tradition of gathering honey for several centuries, with the requisite skills being passed on across generations. "They camp in the forests during the honey season, before processing the honey from combs and packing them directly. So, there is no question of adulteration since this is raw, unpasteurised forest honey," Mani says. Check out their website and avail of a 500 gm bottle for '440, in a range of flavours such as eucalyptus and bitter jamun.
Log on to hoopoeonahill.com
Wild effort
Organically Yours is a venture that Jocelyn Britto started about two months ago, with friend Elizabeth Carvalho's help. Britto got the idea for it after he saw honey bees descend on his coconut plantation in Goa and remove the nectar from the flowers there and form combs. But that's not where he sources his honey from. Instead, he has collaborated with an NGO that puts him in touch with tribals from various places who collect raw honey for him, which he then bottles and sells on their behalf. "It's wild honey. It comes from a combination of flowers," Britto tells us. A 330 ml bottle is priced at Rs 399.
Email jocelynbritto@gmail.com
Honey, almond and black sesame gelato
Natasha Celmi, chef and author of the cookbook Fast Fresh Flavourful, shares a recipe for honey, almond and black sesame gelato. "Honey and almonds are a classic pair, but the touch of black sesame adds a nice hint of the orient along with some delicate colour," she shares.
Serves: 10 scoops
Ingredients
. 1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream, unsweetened
. 180 gm condensed milk
. ½ tsp vanilla essence
. 1/3 cup organic honey
. ¼ cup toasted almonds, sliced
. 2-3 tbsp black sesame, toasted
Method
Chill a bread loaf pan in the freezer. Chill the cream in the fridge or as per packet instructions. Whip the cream with an electric beater till you have soft peaks. Fold in the condensed milk and vanilla essence. Pour half the mix into the loaf pan and swirl in half the honey, almonds and sesame. Pour in the remaining mix and gently add in the remaining honey, nuts and sesame. Freeze for a minimum of 4 hours. Store in the freezer for up to 10 days.
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