Bees, Hives and a Taste of Honey.

Utah, the Beehive State, adopted the symbol of the beehive onto its state flag and seal in 1847; representing the qualities of industry, perseverance, thrift, stability, and self-reliance. For the Mormon settlers, who definitely had to live these qualities to survive the unforgiving Wild West, it also meant a deeper connection to their beliefs. Within the Book of Mormon, the name Deseret meant “honeybee”, being derived from the Jaredites; a group believed to have been led to the Americas during the time of the construction of the Tower of Babel. While Christopher Columbus is given major credit for discovering the Americas and archaeological finds place the Vikings here first; let the historians battle out “Who’s On First?”

In many recipes of Native American origin, honey was included; so it would make sense to believe that honeybees were indigenous to the Americas, and you would be only slightly correct. In 2009, paleontologist-entomologist Michael Engel, of the University of Kansas, discovered fossilized remains in Nevada of 14 million year old honeybees which did not survive the Ice Age. (Reference: http://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1544 ) It was not until 1622 when white settlers brought over European honey bees; referred to as “white man’s flies” by the local Native American tribes. Bee migration, via swarming, began on the east coast of North America; colonies finally arrived in the West by the middle 1800s. Therefore, honey became an active ingredient in Native cooking along with white flour, sugar and lard; all thanks to the pioneers. (Reference: https://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agcomm/newscolumns/archives/OSL/1999/November/111199OSL.html )

Two "Security" Bees at the entrance to each hive.

Bees produce honey, honey is sweet and tastes really good; is that all there is to honey bees? Bees produce - pollen, wax, royal jelly, propolis, honey and bee bread which are chock full of nutritional and health benefits for humans. While not being all that nutritionally balanced, from fermented honey, an alcoholic drink, called mead (Go Vikings!) can be enjoyed. The importance of bees goes beyond the human need of their byproducts; 1/6th of plant pollination worldwide is attributed to bees. Besides bees in the wild, local beekeepers provide a great service in maintaining hives, and coordinating with other beekeepers.


One such beekeeper is local Blanding resident, Ricky Arthur (also co-owner of Patio Drive-In with his wife, Lana). Ricky graciously invited my husband, Roy, and I to visit his hives, introduce us to the honey bees, and give us loads of information. Within each of the hives, a single queen (fed on royal jelly only) emerges to hold reign over the workers (fed bee bread). Did you know that a queen can be dethroned? After a queen lays eggs, multiple females can hatch; one will be the strongest, kill the others and she is the “virgin queen” who will mate with drones. However, the workers watch her progress and if her behavior somehow puts the hive in jeopardy, another queen will be put in her place. Queens will travel as far as 3 to 5 miles to mate with drones from other hives, so as to not mate with her own. Within each hive (colony) live 50, 000 to 100, 000; all constantly gathering pollen and nectar; taking care of the queen and her eggs; many die each day and the colony continues on….busy, busy, busy.

Honey is ready for eating within 3 to 5 days; tastes and scents all dependent upon what flowers were blooming. For example, in spring, the pollen from flowering fruit trees will be much different from those of clover, dandelions, flowers and flowering vegetable plants in summer. Have you ever been tasted by a bee? No, not stung, but tasted and I experienced such an instance at a lavender farm back in Pennsylvania. Bees like salt, so one decided I would be a nice “salt lick”; it was just a little pinch and imagine my surprise that others around me felt cheated at not being chosen.

Currently, Ricky Arthur’s hives provide enough honey for personal family use; however he is hoping to expand out eventually to create a small business. Anyone interested in beekeeping, and becoming a bee farmer, is very welcomed to contact Ricky at: (435) 260-2393. By the way, Ricky loves his bees and you can hear the passion in his voice when he speaks about them. He also created a glass enclosed hive which he keeps inside his home; he will proudly display it and describe the inner workings.

















To see the bees in action, go to: https://youtu.be/D-teH-b6vyU created by Desert Stone Studio; my husband Roy’s new videography and visual effects business, or see the video above.

So plant those flowers and fruit trees, do NOT use pesticides, let the dandelions bloom, do NOT swat those precious honey bees…our very existence depends on their work ethics.

Mary Cokenour

Dessert Salad Saga – Part Two.

Nectar and Ambrosia, the drink and food of the Gods; the Ancient Greek Pantheon that is.  Sitting upon celestial thrones high upon Mount Olympus, these gods and goddesses played the humans upon the Earth as pieces on a giant chessboard.  My interest in their mythology began in elementary school; in high school though is when an English teacher asked us to make recipes of the Grecian culture.

Nectar is quite easy to create; a mixture of whole cow’s milk, honey and the stigmas (only 3 per flower) of Crocus flowers aka saffron threads.  Crocus, being a plant of the mountains is sacred to the Gods; it gives a golden color to the drink, with extraordinary rejuvenating and energizing powers.  Ambrosia, in its original form, is a honey cake laden with apples and figs; the modern version is a simple mixture of fruits, honey and Greek yogurt.

 

Ah, but now we come to the Americanized version of this simple Greek recipe; we’ve all seen it in any salad bar.  That wondrous mixture of fruits, coconut flakes, marshmallows and whipped topping; looking like a total mess, yet tasting so cool and refreshing…Ambrosia salad.  This is one of those recipes where almost anything can be added, and it doesn’t go wrong; even pasta!  That’s right, pasta, which brings me to a popular dessert salad that dates back approximately 40 years to a recipe on a box.  Acini di Pepe, also spelled Acini de Pepe (pronounced ah-CHEE-nee dee PAY-pay); "Acini" means "berries", "Pepe" means "pepper", so "pepper berries" or “peppercorns”.  If you are a fan of Italian Wedding Soup, then you have eaten Acini di Pepe; and it gives Frog Eye Salad its unusual name.

 

 

The original name of the recipe was “Ambrosia Salad with Acine di Pepe”, but as it made its rounds through home kitchens, it picked up the name of “Frog Eye Salad”.  How is a good question, but the only guessed at reasoning was that someone’s child must have said, “Yuck, that looks like frog eyes in there!”  As the recipe was passed along, the nickname stuck as it traveled throughout the United States, and to the dessert salad loving state of Utah.  The first time I’d ever heard of, or tasted, it was at an annual holiday party; the pasta being a chewy addition to the salad.  The consensus is, some love it, some hate it; some don’t care, its food, so just eat it.  Personally, I didn’t see the point of adding the pasta while my husband enjoyed it; so to each his/her own.

One recipe I found was supposedly from the original box of pasta put out by the Ronzoni Company.  I contacted them for verification, but, as yet, they have not bothered to respond with an answer.  So, I’m using a recipe from The Salt Lake Tribune’s “What’s Cooking in Utah Kitchens” cookbook (no date) which is extremely close to the other recipe I found.  It also makes a quantity that could feed a small army (about 20 servings), so cut the recipe as needed.

Frog Eye Salad

(page 66, by Donna Kastler)

 Ingredients:

1 and ½ cups (12 oz. box) Acini de Pepe (macaroni product)

2 quarts boiling water
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. oil
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 and ¾ cups pineapple juice
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cans (11 oz. each) mandarin oranges, drained
1 can (20 oz.) chunk pineapple, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup coconut
1 carton (9 oz.) frozen whipped topping

Preparation:

Cook Acine de Pepe in boiling water with the 1 teaspoon salt and oil for 8 to 10 minutes.  While macaroni is cooking, combine the sugar, flour, ½ teaspoon salt, eggs and pineapple juice; cook until thick, stirring constantly.  Stir in lemon juice.  Cool and pour over well drained macaroni.  Stir and refrigerate overnight.

Several hours before serving, add the mandarin oranges, pineapple, marshmallows and coconut.  Stir well; add frozen whipped topping.  Fold together.

 

Mary Cokenour