Sweet as can Bee! Honey from Carmel Honey Company, founded by 14-year-old Carmel student Jake Reisdorf who was 11 at the time, is the perfect heart healthy treat for your honey this Valentine’s Day!

Carmel, CA, January 10, 2017 — Sweet as can Bee! Honey from Carmel Honey Company, founded by 14-year-old Carmel student Jake Reisdorf who was 11 at the time, is the perfect heart healthy treat for your honey this Valentine’s Day! This golden liquid, created and stored by some of the smallest and most industrious members of the natural kingdom, has come to stand for all that is sweet and desirable in the world.

Honey in History

Apiculture, or bee-keeping, dates back to 700 BC, but man’s desire for the bee’s precious nectar goes back much further than that — a 10,000-year-old rock painting in Spain depicts two human figures on a ladder collecting honey from a wild hive. In 2100 BC, honey was mentioned in the sacred writings of Egypt and India; in the Old Testament, the Promised Land is described as “the land of milk and honey”. And mythological rumor has it that In Greek mythology, it is said that Cupid dipped the tips of his “love arrows” in honey to fill the lovers hearts with sweetness.

Honey and Health

The amazing benefits found in honey include antioxidant and anti-microbial properties that are unique to this all-natural sweetener. Honey has also been used for centuries as a natural, fragrant and wholly pleasing beauty treatment, due to its humectant qualities and silky feel. It is said that Cleopatra herself owed much of her legendary beauty to a daily infusion of golden honey.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, be sure to treat your special someone to the gold standard of what has become sweet and desirable in the world this Valentine’s Day — honey! Carmel Honey Company has four types of honey currently available — Sage Honey, Wildflower Honey, Orange Blossom Honey and Meadowfoam Honey. Carmel Honey Company provides all-natural, pure, raw, premium honey that is harvested straight from the hive.

And Reisdorf, as part of his “Jake Gives Back” program, donates a portion of his honey sales proceeds to organizations that are expanding research and education efforts by addressing the production, nutritional value, health benefits, economics, and/or quality standards of honey bees and honey.

“I’m just an average 14-year-old who likes honey bees,” Reisdorf told California Bountiful magazine. “With beekeeping, you are helping the environment and it is really fun and interesting. I’m all about the education and practicing beekeeping and doing honey. The message that I want everyone to know is: If the bees go, we go, so help save the bees.”

In addition to individual jars of honey, Carmel Honey Company offers three special packages perfect for your honey this Valentine’s Day: Carmel Honey Company Honey Sampler, Honeycomb and Honey Stix.

The Sampler is the ideal way to sample all four pure, raw, premium honey varietals. This set includes 3-oz. jars of Sage Honey, Wildflower Honey, Orange Blossom Honey and Meadowfoam Honey.

They are packaged ready for gift giving in an elegant clear gift bag and red bow. There is a special gift box available only on the website for Valentine’s Day.

Honeycomb is the absolute purest form of honey. Circular frames are placed inside the beehive and the honey bees instinctively know to build it out first with wax, then fill it with honey. Since the honey bees make the wax and honey, the 8-oz rounds are 100% edible. Harvested individually at different times, from a variety of hives, no two rounds will taste exactly the same. These honeycombs are delicious on a cheese board or cut and placed over soft-serve ice cream. Also an excellent gift for the foodie in your life.

Honey Stix offer a great boost of energy in a convenient package. In a lunchbox or purse this 12-pack is an easy way to curb sweet cravings the natural way. Filled with the Wildflower Honey varietal, each Stix contains 1 teaspoon of honey. Excellent portion control for tea and coffee and also an ideal stocking stuffer or unique gift for all ages.

And remember, when you purchase a jar of honey from the Carmel Honey Company, (or place a honey bee pollination hive in your backyard), you have contributed to the research and education of the public on the importance of pollination and the benefits of the honey bee.

Carmel Honey Company honey can be purchased directly from the website (which grew out of his elementary class project) at www.carmelhoneycompany.com.

Valentine’s Day Recipe:

Baklava

· 1 package store bought Phyllo Dough (from frozen section)

· 4 cups Chopped Nuts (walnuts/almonds preferred, but whatever you have on hand)

· 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

· 1 plus 1/2 stick Butter, melted (FYI – you’ll probably need more)

· 2 cups Carmel Honey Company Wildflower Honey

· 1/2 cup Water

· 1/2 cup Sugar

· 3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Remove frozen phyllo dough package from freezer and refrigerate for 24 hours to thaw.

Set at room temperature at least 1 hour before using.

Melt ½ stick butter. Set aside.

Remove the phyllo sheets as needed keeping other sheets covered under a damp cloth.

Toss together nuts and cinnamon. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a rectangular baking pan. Trim phyllo stack to fit pan.

Place sheet of phyllo in pan and brush with melted butter. Repeat 4 times for a total of five sheets.

Sprinkle nuts to make a single thin layer.

Butter three sheets of phyllo and place on top of nuts. Add layer of nuts and buttered sheets.

Repeat, until you’re out of nuts (keep in mind next (final) step)

Top with at least 4 buttered phyllo sheets, to ending with a buttered top.

Cut a diagonal diamond pattern (or in simple squares) using a very sharp knife.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.

While Baklava is baking, combine butter, honey, water, sugar, and vanilla in saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.

After removing Baklava from oven, IMMEDIATELY drizzle half the saucepan evenly over top, allowing pan to sit/absorb for a few minutes. Then drizzle remaining sauce until thoroughly moistened.

Allow Baklava to cool, uncovered, for several hours to set.

Eat, Share, Gift, Enjoy!

About Jake and Carmel Honey Company:

Jake Reisdorf is the chief beekeeper and owner of Carmel Honey Company, which he started as part of a school project where his teacher assigned professions to each student and directed them to research the profession and build a presentation on it.

While researching his assigned profession of website designer, Jake, 11 years old at the time, decided to take it one step further and actually create a real website. At that time, Jake had taken one beekeeping class with his Dad and thought it would be cool to design a website about honey bees.

Not only did Jake get an “A” on the project, but it inspired him and spurred him to start Carmel Honey Company. That was three years ago.

His passion for honey bees grew as he learned about Colony Collapse Disorder and real honey. Expanding his research and education drove Jake to learn more about honey and bees and ultimately decide it was critical to give back.

In addition, Jake places hives on residential and commercial properties to raise awareness and encourage others to support the honey bee.

The “Jake Gives Back” program includes sharing honey bee knowledge with kids and adults of all ages. Whether he is in a classroom speaking to first-grade students, or at a corporate event talking with business owners and seasoned professionals, his passion and appreciation of how honey bees impact our world is infectious. He also “gives back” by making a financial donation to honey bee research and education organizations.

Jake currently attends 8th grade at Carmel Middle School and keeps his knowledge of Apiology (the scientific study of bees) current by continuing to manage his own honey bee hives and attending industry conferences throughout the country.

Carmel Honey Company

(831) 687-8511

www.CarmelHoneyCompany.com

www.Facebook.com/CarmelHoneyCompany

www.Instagram.com/CarmelHoneyCompany

www.Twitter.com/CarmelHoneyCo

Contact:

Marci Bracco Cain

Chatterbox PR

Salinas, CA 93901

(831) 747-7455

http://www.CarmelHoneyCompany.com