Miel de la Beebliothèque (Library Honey), Westmount, Québec, Canada

Last December we visited my mother in-law who lives in Westmount, Quebec, a western suburb of Montreal, and she gave me a small jar of honey that was produced by her local library, the Westmount library. It turns out that in 2015 the library installed a few hives on their roof and sell honey to raise money. "What on earth are librarians doing keeping bees?" you might ask. Good question. But, in fact, the librarians haven't turned apiarist but rather have enlisted the services of an urban beekeeping service, Alvéole, to install and maintain their hives, and extract honey at the end of the season. 

Westmount Library

 An urban beekeeping service?  Yes. Started in 2012, Alvéole is the brain child of three beekeeping friends, Etienne Lapierre, Alexandre McLean and Declan Rankin. To combat the recent declines in bee populations due to environmental changes, the use of pesticides and new bee parasites and illnesses, the three thought bringing bees to an urban center, like Montreal, might be (part of) the solution. You see, in Montreal there are strict anti-pesticide regulations and an abundance of untapped floral sources. Local hives would produce quality local honey, increase local pollination rates and contribute to making the city greener, as well as protect and harbor bee colonies. Win, win, win.

The idea caught on and there were many takers. By 2015 Alvéole had >70 corporate and private clients across Montreal island and the south shore, and they continue to grow (and have recently expanded into Toronto). What do the Westmount library, Birk's Jewelers, Aldo shoes and the Public Works Office of St. Lambert all have in common? They all have hives on their roofs courtesy of Alvéole.

Westmount park

For about $750 CAN the first year, Alvéole will set everything up, take care of the hives, and extract the honey at the end of the summer. They guarantee 10 kg of honey to the client and keep the rest, which they sell in their store and on-line. The honey is 100% pure, filtered and unpasteurized. Given that each hive produces about 15-20 kg of honey per year, there is plenty of honey to go around.  Under the Alvéole label, they sell honey by Montreal island region: Villeray, Sud-Ouest, Plateau, NDG Westmount. The different floral sources of each region give each a unique taste and texture. And apart from honey, Alvéole also sells lip balm, soap, totes and a yearly calendar featuring nude apiarists! Check out their on-line boutique.

Westmount library was founded in 1897 in commemoration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, and two years later, the grand Victorian building that has housed it for all these years was built in 1899. The library is adjacent to Westmount park, a verdant oasis of trees, flowers and water features. I can't think of a better place for hives. 

Miel de la Beebliothèque (Library honey)

The name of the miel de la Beebliothèque is a play on words of the French word for library, 'bibliothèque.' 

The honey is very light yellow and clear, but quite thick. It is not too sweet and has a floral first taste with a strong menthol herbal after taste. It makes me wonder if their are any eucalyptus trees in the park. Next time I visit I'll have a look around. It is very tasty, and would be great drizzled on plain yogurt or on hot, buttered toast, and in a strong cup of black tea. If you are in Montreal, head to the Westmount library on Sherbrooke street to check out their honey (while supplies last), or go to the Alvéole store at 5425-217 Rue de Bordeaux for Montreal island honey and ask for the NDG Westmount region, or save yourself the trip(s) and check out the online boutique.

Basswood (Linden or Lime) Honey, The Bee Folks, Mount Airy, MD

I wasn’t familiar with basswood honey before I saw and bought it on the Bee Folks (lovely) website. The Bee Folks started in 1997 as a back yard operation in a suburb of Baltimore. In 2004 they moved to Poplar Springs on the outskirts of Mount Airy, Maryland where they expanded their operation. They continue to be a small, family owned and operated company that produces and distributes a variety of high quality, and not so easy to find, honey. I've blogged about a few of their honeys (see entries for Carrot, Cotton, Almond and Radish honeys) and have always found the quality to be great.

Not surprisingly the floral source for basswood honey is the blossoms of the basswood tree. However, I had never heard of the basswood tree. In fact, it is also, and probably better known as, the linden tree. I've heard (and can identify) a linden tree. Going forward I’ll refer to the tree as “linden” since it is more commonly known this way. There are about 30 varieties of linden trees, all within the Tilia species.

Tilia americana
(American Linden or Basswood tree)

Since my basswood honey is from the US it is likely to be from Tilia americana (the second likely candidate is Tilia heterophylla). Tilia americana is native to eastern North America (from Manitoba to New Brunswick, south to northern Texas to South Carolina, and west to Nebraska. Of interest, Tilia americana is known for being one of the most difficult native North American trees to propagate from seed, with only 30% of all seeds being viable. Thankfully, the tree often relies on self-coppicing (i.e. propagation via new growths emanating via shoots and sprouts  from stumps), to propagate rather than by seeds. 

The honey is called “basswood” or “linden” honey in North America, and “lime” honey in the UK and Europe. Basswood is derived from “bast” the name for the inner fibrous bark of the tree (incidentally used by the Ainu people of Japan to weave their traditional clothing, the attus, and also used in basket and mat weaving). One of the Linden species common in Europe (and parts of Russia and China) is the Tilia cordata, a small-leaved variety that is also called “Lime,” hence “Lime” honey.  “Lime” is apparently an altered form of Middle English “lind.” This Tilia is not related to the lime fruit or lime trees (Citrus aurantifolia). This, to me, makes referring to Tilia honey as "Lime" honey very confusing!

The native range of Tilia Americana (from:

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/
volume_2/tilia/americana.htm

Bees love Tilia blossoms. The tiny, yellow-white flowers bloom in clusters (i.e. drooping inflorescences) and exude a fragrant aroma that has been described as “ambrosial.” Ants and aphids also love this tree because of its rich supply of sap. They “farm” the sap, which does not seem to cause any serious damage to the tree, leaving a syrupy honeydew residue on anything (e.g. a car) below the tree (so be warned). 

At the peak of the season (late spring to mid-summer) the blossoms produce so much nectar that it can be seen as a shiny deposit on the blooms. Bees swarm the trees during this time giving the linden tree the informal name of “bee” tree.

Tilia Americana blossoms

Linden trees are long-lived (possible lifespan of up to 2,000 years for some species!), tall (20-40 meters), handsome trees with a dense head of abundant foliage that have often been planted in European town centers or along city streets. One of the oldest known linden trees, estimated to be 2,000 years old, can be found in the Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire. Empress Cunigunde, the wife of Henry II, planted a linden tree in 1,000 A.D. in the courtyard of the Imperial Castle at Nuremberg that is still alive and well. In addition an 850 year old linden tree, the Rut linden tree, is found in Slovenia beside a church in the mountain village of Rut. The Tilia americana, however, is generally not so long-lived with a lifespan of up to 200 years.

Linden trees have been mentioned in many ancient texts. Pliny the Elder (A.D. 23 to A.D. 79) wrote about them. There is also a Roman myth about Baucis and Philemon who were granted eternity together as a linden and an oak tree (see the lovely painting by GC Myers depicting the lovers in their intertwined tree-ness).

Baucis & Philemon by GC Myers

http://redtreetimes.com/

Linden timber is soft and easily worked, and used for furniture making, model building and carving. It was one of the classic woods for sculpture in the Middle Ages (e.g. altarpieces) and for puppet-making. Given its acoustic properties it is also used for making instruments (e.g. bodies for wind instruments and solid body electric guitars). Of interest it was often used by Germanic tribes for making shields. Unfortunately, in the U.S., due to the destruction of softwood forests for the furniture industry, basswood/linden stands are not as common as they once were making this honey sometimes hard to find.

Linden honey has been used medicinally. In hot tea or in lemon juice it has been used to treat colds and laryngitis, and sooth sore throats. It has also been used to treat minor skin sores and burns, and eczema topically. Linden flowers can be used to make an herbal tea, and also to treat colds, cough and fevers. Of interest the flowers have been added to hot bath water to “quell hysteria.”

basswood (linden) honey

Linden honey, no matter from what type of linden tree, is reported to taste pretty much the same. When very fresh it has a greenish color, but can range from clear to amber. My honey is more on the amber spectrum. I can't detect much of a smell, although I've seen its aroma described elsewhere as "woody." It is medium thickness, clear and smooth. It isn't overly sweet and the taste, a fresh, citrus, menthol, camphor taste, is consistent throughout. It reminds me slightly of a lemon/lime flavored cough drop. The aftertaste is slightly acidic/bitter, sort of lemony/limey. I can see why some describe the flavor as "green." I think basswood/linden honey would go well in hot cereal, on hot buttered toast, or in hot tea. I've heard that it goes nicely with Earl Grey tea and would agree. The bergamot of the tea and citrus of the honey would be complementary.  

While I got my honey on The Bee Folk website, I see that they no longer have it available. I'm hoping this is a temporary situation. In any case it is a reminder that if you see a honey that is a bit unusual you should take advantage!