This honey is a winner

Emma Sharp, Contributor

South Africa-born Shelley Hall has been living in Jamaica since summer 2006, when her husband Tom was hired as a sugar cane farmer.

Soon after arriving, the couple discovered bees in the roof of their house in south Clarendon. They consulted a builder, who suggested that they kept them. Not long after, the Halls ventured to the Denbigh Agriculture Show, where they chatted to people at Bodles. They encouraged Shelley to get into the honey business. Although she is a clinical psychologist by profession, living in the remote countryside does not allow her to practise this passion, so "I decided to give it (the honey business) a try," Hall recounted.

Three years later, in 2009, this determined mother of one produced 80 gallons of honey from 20 beehives. However, owing to the loss of four hives, and the drought that had hit recently, 2010 has only brought just over half that quantity, and only 10 more gallons are expected. When asked how one 'loses' a hive, Shelley replied that ants could destroy them, the queen bees could leave, and with her tiny toddler, she did not have enough time to tend to them. This young entrepreneur sells a real 'World Cup winner' of honey (by word of mouth), to 'country folk' and 'Kingstonians' alike. The unique flavour stems from the bees collecting nectar from mango blossom, coral creeper, logwood trees, aloe vera, and of course, sugar cane. Each crop of honey varies according to the ratio of what the bees have filled the hives with, and the most recent has lent itself to these delicious recipes.

Honey Baked Chicken

1 medium-sized chicken

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp mustard

3 tbsps soy sauce

3 tbsps Hall's honey

2 sprigs of thyme

Foil to cover the chicken

A little water

Method

1. Season the chicken with all the ingredients, ensuring that you get them between the flesh and the skin of the chicken. Cover with foil and leave to marinate in the fridge for 6-24 hours.

2. Preheat the oven 325°F and take the chicken out of the fridge. Place the covered chicken in the hot oven and bake for 1 hour.

3. Take the chicken out of the oven. Remove the foil, add a little water in the bottom of the pan, mix with the juices already there, and baste the chicken. Make sure the chicken is breast-side up.

4. Turn the temperature up to 375°F and bake for another 45 minutes until the juices from the chicken thighs run clear. If they are still pink, then the chicken needs more cooking.

Honey, Lime and Mint Tofu: Serves 2-3

1 pack of tofu, cut into 2cm x 1cm pieces

2 tsps wasabi paste (optional)

4 tbsps Hall's honey

2 tbsps soy sauce

2 tbsps lime juice

3 tbsps chopped mint

8 stems of scallion, sliced on the diagonal

1 tbsp olive oil

Hot white rice to serve

1. Mix the wasabi, honey, lime juice and soy sauce in a medium-sized bowl.

2. Add the tofu and scallion and coat well.

3. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan until hot. Pour the tofu mixture into the pan and cook on a high flame, stirring occasionally until the honey starts to caramelise.

4. Stir in the mint, remove from the heat and pour on to two bowls of hot white rice.

Emma@sharpactionfood.com or emmasharptv@gmail.com

Boos and Bouquet

Ever heard the mantra, 'the customer is always right'?

Apparently most persons who deliver customer service in Jamaica have not. So we are showing them up.

If you have had a good or bad customer-service experience, share it with us, leaving nothing out, and we will publish them for you in the Outlook Magazine every fortnight. Include name of place, address and telephone numbers.

Send your experiences to: lifestyle@gleanerjm.com

Honey and Grainy Mustard Sausages

1 lb 2oz or 500g (about 6) English Bangers from F & B 109 Ltd

2 tbsps grainy mustard

2 tbsps Hall's honey

1. Prick the sausages with a fork, and marinate with the mustard and honey for 2-4 hours.

2. Preheat the oven 400°F. Place the sausages in a small roasting pan and cook in the oven for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes.

3. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables or eggs and toast.

You may contact Shelley Hall at honeyhalls@gmail.com for more information.