Praise Bee!

It’s World Bee Day and we’re buzzing with bee facts and honey recipes to help you celebrate! Find out why bees are a big deal, what’s so good about honey and delicious ways to add it to your meals.

Did you know that there are over 250 species of bee in the UK but only one species of honey bee? Because of their honey-making superpowers, these bees have been domesticated for hundreds of years living in hives of up to 20,000.

Worker bees live for just a few weeks and spend it busily gathering pollen and nectar, which gets turned into honey. Bees also help pollinate many of the fruits and veggies we eat (like apples and broccoli) as well as livestock crops, so they’re vitally important.

Tragically, bee numbers are in decline because of habitat loss, widespread pesticide use and climate change. Parasites and diseases as well as invasive, non-native species like Asian hornets are also a threat, so how can we help?

For starters, grow bee-friendly plants and trees such as lavender and fruit trees. If you have a garden, let parts of it go wild, don’t use pesticides and cut your grass less often. Consider organic produce and try these other tips, the bees will thank you for it.

Our site in Datchet is a hive of activity – in more ways than you might think. In the grounds there are three beehives full of busy bees making delicious honey. You can meet the bees in this video.

Their hard work is all for a good cause. We hold workshops to show how to process honey and jars are sold with all proceeds donated to charity. We love our bees!

Honey bees make honey the world over but because the taste, smell and even colour depend on the flowers it’s made from, there are infinite varieties out there. All honey starts out runny and the time it takes to set also depends on what flower it comes from.

Because of its nutrients and antioxidants, honey has a host of health benefits. It may improve heart health and help prevent heart disease, it’s been used to heal wounds and burns for centuries and can soothe a sore throat. It’s also better for blood sugar levels than processed sugar – result!

If all this honey talk has triggered your sweet tooth, try one of these bee-utiful recipes. Kick off the day with a seasonal rhubarb and honey smoothie and have a go at making your own versatile honey, fruit and nut granola.

This liquid gold does something special to savoury food too, transforming dishes like a scrumptious honey tofu traybake or finger-licking Hoisin chicken*. And if you’ve never tried honey-glazed carrots, they’re about to rock your world.

As for cakes and bakes, well, the possibilities are endless but we’ll leave you with this recipe for a stunning honey and Earl Grey cake* courtesy of the Cake Factory cake factory and these honey and fennel muffins topped with bee pollen for extra loveliness. Bee-licious!

*Download the OptiGrill app here and the Cake Factory app here.