Magical Honey from Stingless Mayan Bees

Published on Wednesday, September 1, 2010, by Sarah Perry / Edit Post

In an ice cream shop in Antigua, Guatemala, rworange found flavors of ice cream like corn, beet, zapote, and jacon (Guatemalan tomatillo sauce). But even better, she discovered a kind of honey she'd never tried. "I picked up a pretty green bottle labeled 'Miel de Doncella,' she says. "The green bottle has white honey. It is exquisite. It has a deep lemony flavor, a clear white color, is less thick with a different more intense sweetness than regular honey." To make it even more romantic, the white honey is made from tiny, stingless Mayan bees reputed to have a connection to the spirit world.

"All throughout Mexico and Guatemala there are stands of honey in huge jars that sell for little more than $4," says rworange. "The pretty little bottle of white honey was about $4.25, an extravagant amount for honey in this area." If you're lucky enough to find some of this exotic treat in the U.S., expect to pay heavily for it—but it's worth it, says rworange.

Discuss: Orchid honey, stingless bees and balche … it will give you a buzz

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  • First of all, I was unclear about jacon. That is a general term for a lot In this case it is the fruit of the cashew that surrounds the nut we are all more familiar with.

    As to fluein's comment, the ice cream is just a small, and almost hidden part of the Antigua store. It turns out that alternative medicine is a big part of the shop, but also not obvious. A tourist walking in the shop would...+READ

    First of all, I was unclear about jacon. That is a general term for a lot In this case it is the fruit of the cashew that surrounds the nut we are all more familiar with.

    As to fluein's comment, the ice cream is just a small, and almost hidden part of the Antigua store. It turns out that alternative medicine is a big part of the shop, but also not obvious. A tourist walking in the shop would think their primary business was selling fancy soaps and lotions.

    So this honey, and others, makes sense in that context. It has certain healing powers ... and tastes pretty terrific as well. I've occasionally seen white honey on top of the line restaurants such as French Laundery.-COLLAPSE

  • An Antiguan Ice Cream depot
    Has a rainbow of flavors on show
    But stingless bee honey's
    What brings in the money
    And gives ice cream eaters their glow.

  • This might be contributing to the hi-cost: http://www.theallineed.com/science/05062404.htm

  • Those stinglless bees product only a tinay amount of harvestable honey, so the price is dear.