SHORT AND SWEET – THE HISTORY OF HONEY

Whether drizzled into our tea or used as a term of endearment, honey is relished around the world as a natural sweetener with healing properties. Yet this humble food – that requires very little processing for human consumption – has far greater cultural significance than simply satisfying sugar cravings. In its long history, honey has been variously treasured – as a metaphor, food, medicine and a preservative.

Folklorist and food scholar Lucy M. Long details how this ‘nectar of the gods’ has featured in politics, religion, economics and popular culture around the world for centuries. From being used in sacred rituals by ancient cultures, it remains just as significant to human civilization today, even in the face of the alarming ecological crisis threatening bee populations everywhere.

Complete with cross-cultural recipes and vibrant illustrations, Honey: A Global History is a surprising and satisfying treat.

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