Bonnie: While emptying an over-stuffed goodie bag from a press event after the New York summer Fancy Food Show, I pulled out a square plastic box filled with what looked like an actual bee honeycomb. The name “The Savannah Bee Company” was the only information on the box.

I dug through the bag looking for the press information that might accompany that product to find out more about it. Normally I would have discovered a new item at the event while talking to a representative from the company. But I had been too hot and uncomfortable to have an intelligent conversation with anyone; the event was during a heat wave last July with temperatures hovering over 100 degrees F in an overcrowded un-air-conditioned room.

I’d lasted less than a half hour but did leave with various samples to try at home — including this honey. Savannah Bee honey, I’ve learned since, is known for producing artisanal raw honeys.

At the official launch party of our site, I served the entire piece of honeycomb on a huge cheeseboard surrounded by a big wheel of Cabot cheddar, a hunk of Jarlsberg and rounds of Vermont Butter & Cheese Bijou and Fresh Crottin along with Craisins and whole-grain breads. Guests loved it, scraping the board to get those last drops and then licking the drops of honey off their fingers.

This honeycomb, by the way, is hand cut into pieces to fit the box and that piece ranges in weight from 12 to 16 ounces. According to The Savannah Bee Company, since “the bees don’t make every cell in every comb exactly the same (although they are very very close, which is a miracle!) the total weight can vary slightly. We aim for 16oz each time and are spot on the majority of the time, but regulations state that we must inform the customer that they can vary.”

Savannah Bee suggests the following ways to enjoy honeycomb:

  • eat honeycomb with Gorgonzola Dolce and Pecorino cheeses; salty, nutty cheeses like Piave and the harder Sardinian cheeses are also outstanding and create a unique presentation
  • try it on a slice of baguette with some very creamy blue cheese or a sharp white cheddar or with goat cheeses or tart apple slices
  • spread soft goat or blue cheese on your favorite dried fruit, such as dried pears or apricots, then drizzle with honey

My ending tidbit (I should say TidBite) about honey is a fact I learned the first time I wrote a honey story that stuck with me ever since, making me appreciate each and every drop of honey: one worker honey bee produces only 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.

Bryan: Now, while it’s true that I do like all of the products we write about (if that seems like a lot, you really should see the endless food and gadgets we come across!), some items really do make an impact; they simply have that ‘wow’ effect. This product is very cool; I first saw the Savannah Bee Honeycomb at the Bite of the Best launch party where the spread included great big hunks of Cabot cheese that just begged for accompaniments. A few handfuls of walnuts and almonds just didn’t seem like enough. This beautiful fully-intact honeycomb presented alongside was the perfect finish to the plate.

I love cheese plates, often served with a bit of fruit preserve spread along the plate. Honey would normally seem a difficult condiment to serve with cheese, but this honeycomb is easily placed on a cutting board to be sliced and dispensed. A quick cut into this soft natural treat and you’re spreading a deep, earthy, flavorful sweetness on any items you choose. A bit of this honey beneath the sharp Cabot cheddar, all on chewy bread, was a new and wonderful flavor. The honeycomb comes in a small plastic case, allowing it to be eaten gradually. Grab it while enjoying a sliced apple or scoop a small spoonful into your tea. Honey may be a very common product, but you’ve probably never seen it served quite like this honeycomb. It will change your impression of a fundamental food product in a profound manner and create new enjoyment even for well-versed foodies!

Eric: I never would have thought that honey would have graced the list of “the best products available” for consumers to purchase. To me, honey is a condiment similar to ketchup or mustard; I always love to find it on the table. It is the perfect complement to morning tea or breakfast pancakes or vanilla ice cream. I, just like my brother, saw this product for the first time at the launch party for Bite of the Best and was quite impressed. Rarely do you come across honey in its natural state, and, unlike the Huckleberry Finns of the past, rarely would you climb a tree to knock down a beehive to find it. This honeycomb, although a bit plastic, is a tribute to how real honey should taste, feel and be eaten, and reminds me that natural, unprocessed products are most always the best.