Beekeeping and Honey Throughout History - Honeybee: Lessons from an Accidental Beekeeper - page 62

al art of painting beehive panels flourished in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
among Slovenian farmers, who at the time made up the country's largest social class.
Together with Slovenian folk songs, legends, fairy tales, and the remarkable creations
of traditional Slovenian architecture, beehive panels represented this culture's limitless
abundance of folk imagination, thought, and creative expression.
H ONEY IN C ULINARY R ECIPES
Nearly every culture uses honey in its cuisine. Here are examples—some familiar and
some rare—of ways honey has been enjoyed throughout history.
AMBROSIA : In Greek mythology, the Olympian gods preserved their immortality by
eating honey. It was accompanied by nectar, wine of the gods.
APICIUS ROMAN CHEESECAKE : Apicius was a first-century nobleman who has been
credited with penning the very first recipes. His love of food and cuisine is reflected
in his 468 recipes. Honey was one of his ten favorite ingredients and he used it as a
preservative, a condiment, and an ingredient in making wine. I credit Apicius as being
the first to pair cheese and honey in his recipe titled “Homemade Sweets and Honeyed
Cheeses.” When helost part ofhisfortune andwas nolonger able todine inthe style to
whichhehadgrownaccustomed,Apiciuscommittedsuicidebypoisoninghimself.The
word apicius loosely translates to the modern word epicure, referring to a gourmand.
Modern Roman Libum Recipe
Reprinted from A Taste of Ancient Rome
SERVES : 4
INGREDIENTS :
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces whole ricotta cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 bay leaf
½ cup red bee ® wildflower honey
Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a baking tray. Sift the flour into a medium-
sized bowl. In a second medium-sized bowl beat the cheese until it's soft,
and stir it into the flour along with the egg. Form a soft ball, and divide it