Over here, September is all about back to school. In Tibet, it’s honey season (much sweeter).
If you grew up in the city like me then you won’t have had a close relationship with bees, and will have little idea how honey is made. I loved desserts as a kid, and like our own children I felt I had a separate stomach for them, but did you know that for bees this is actually a thing? (Their stomach for nectar is a separate tummy from their food stomach, apparently).
For Yeshi, he’s watched the process since he was little. In their hives, bees pass the nectar that they’ve collected from worker to worker. As they chew, this nectar turns into a syrup. The bees store this syrup inside honeycomb cells, which then form the structure to their hives.
Back in Tibet, honeycomb is collected twice a year, but Yeshi always says that this season yields the best honey. And we’re not talking merely about taste: in Tibet, honey is more than just a sweet treat. When you are many hours from the nearest hospital you learn to avail yourself of nature’s cures, and honey stands tall among them. It is widely used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent. But it’s much more besides: in Tibet you find it used topically for burns and other wounds, and it can also be used preventatively as a sunscreen and face mask as well.
On our recent trip to Tibet I was amazed to find that just as every home flew the Chinese flag, so each household kept its own beehive out the back (pictured). Nobody has protective gear and the honeycomb is extracted by hand (no gloves) as you can see in the video below.
Here Yeshi’s brother Lhundup is extracting only excess honey: a good beekeeper always makes sure to leave enough for the colony to be able to get themselves through the inevitable rough patches, winter chief amongst them.
Yeshi is mad about honey. We brought home vast quantities from Tibet, and on a recent trip to France he enjoyed sampling the fruits of French bees – he’s added some of this to his collection.
Our chocolate tsampa truffles always contain the best honey he has at his disposal, so when we say they’re almost good for you that’s not just the barley talking.
Come and see us for truffles and chai, momos and Lucky Buddha Beer or whatever is your favourite dream combo at TT. We’re back open now for the season and we are loving seeing everyone and treating you right!
We’re open all the usual hours this week, as follows:
Wednesday – Friday: 5-9.30pm (dinner only)
Saturday and Sunday: 12-3 (lunch) / 5-9.30pm (dinner)
Our menu is on the website now. You can dine with us, take away, or order home delivery through Deliveroo.
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Julie and Yeshi
Opening hours this week:
Weds – Fri: 5-9.30pm
Sat / Sun: 12-3pm 🥢 5-9.30pm
☏ 01865 499318
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