Honey of a Dinner 2015

The table is set for the Honey of a Dinner 2015.  The people coming to this dinner purchased it at auction in September 2014.  There will be eight people in all including me and my helpers.

I've got honey bee skep napkins that my daughter Sarah gave me, bee napkin holders some of which my brother Barry gave me as well as my friend Debbara, beeswax candles on the table, honeycomb trivets that my friend Julia gave me - I'm all set.

Here's an up close photo of one of the bee skep napkins and the napkin ring:

The menu for tonight is:

Cocktail:    Bees Knees made with lavender infused honey simple syrup
Appetizer:  Flatbreads with Honey and Thyme
Soup:         Carrot Soup with Sesame and Miso (and honey pickled scallions as a garnish)
Entree:       Pork Tenderloin (marinated in honey) with Gremolata
Bread:        Canadian Buttermilk Honey Rolls
Salad:         Leaf lettuce with oranges and avocado with a Champagne Honey Vinaigrette
Dessert:      Profiteroles with Honey Lavender Ice Cream

I've served some of these items at previous honey dinners but as they say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

We had the flatbreads a couple of years ago and the pork last year.  I make the rolls every time.  I've made the profiteroles for this dinner at least once before.

I'm hoping the guests have fun.  I've had a great time getting ready for it.

Stocking Stuffers for Beekeepers

I saw this on Facebook and thought it might be useful for some of you out there.  Here's a convenient list of stocking stuffers for Beekeepers:

http://www.honeybeesuite.com/twenty-five-holiday-trinkets-for-beekeepers/

What I would add to her list:

• A box of Ziploc sandwich bags:  great for carrying wax scrapings, etc. back from the beehive
• Rubber bands - the giant kind - for holding comb into frames that is catty-whumpus and you want to straighten out.
• Bee Christmas ornaments - I now have a small collection, the latest of which is a metal honeybee that my sister bought for me at a craft fair
• Molds for soap, lotion bars, or candles
• an 8"square baking pan - if you enter wax blocks in honey contests, you can never have enough of these since you almost need to use a new one each time
• Permanent magic markers - innumerable uses
• Bee related magnets for your car 
• Any bee item from Etsy
• Small jars of someone else's honey - always fun to taste and compare - although most beekeepers will always think their own is the best
• A subscription to a bee magazine
• A propane grill lighter - great for lighting smokers
• A honeybee cookie cutter