She's as sweet as tupelo honey

With a wake-up temperature of +1C, it wasn't exactly a beach day. So we headed inland to the small community of Wewahitchka in search of Panhandle gold...tupelo honey. It didn't take us long to discover Smiley Apiaries.

Tupelo honey is produced from the White Tupelo tree that grows in the swampy terrain of the Apalachicola River Basin in Northwest Florida. Tupelo honey is world-famous for its distinctive flavour and because it does not crystallize like other honeys.

Ken & Bobbie with our Tupelo gold

We had a fascinating chat with the owner while his wife, we believe, filled bottles and packed boxes of the sweet stuff. For more information check their web site at www.FloridaTupeloHoney.com

It's also worth noting that Ulee's Gold (1997) starring Peter Fonda as a Florida beekeeper was filmed in the surrounding area. Peter picked up an Oscar nod for his performance, which some reviewers still feel is his best ever.

You can take all the tea in china 
Put it in a big brown bag for me 
Sail right around the seven oceans 
Drop it straight into the deep blue sea 
Shes as sweet as tupelo honey 
Shes an angel of the first degree 
Shes as sweet as tupelo honey 
Just like honey from the bee 
- Van Morrison

KP