Monday, February 28, 2011

Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper by C. Marina Marchese

This delicious book by beekeeper and founder of Red Bee, C. Marina Marchese, should go to the top of the reading list for anyone who cares about honey-- and why not care about honey? It's delicious, it's nutritious, and the bees (and good beekeeping practices) help us all in so many ways, and most importantly, in pollinating major crops such as apples, almonds, blueberries, cucumbers--- you name it. The book is a mix of personal memoir (how the author got her start after a career in design, and many of her beekeeping adventures and misadventures), and advice, some of which far surpasses the everyday practical (e.g., use a Pfund color grader to evaluate color). The book also includes a glossary, bibliography, and resources. The appendices, the multilingual "Deciphering a Honey Label" and "75 Varietals of Honey" are especially useful for traveling honey aficionados.

I have tried some of Marchese's artisanal honeys, which are extraordinary (I loved the Tupelo and Golden Rod). Find out more at her webpage, www.redbee.com

More anon.