---------------Original Message--------------- Hello Conrad, yes, this honey is called "Tannenhonig" (fir tree honey, especially silver fir tree honey). The "full" pound (500 g) would cost sometimes up to 20 DM = 13 US$. The bees gather the dew from "animal blossoms", two sorts of small animals on the trees, we call them "Lecanien" and "Lachniden", which can often live only in cooperation with forest ants. I never noticed a turpentine taste, but of course we drink that seldom if ever. The other stuff, often called "Tannenspitzenhonig" (fir tips honey) is no honey, but a sort of syrup, made out of young, light green tips of firs boiled in water with plenty of sugar. Regards, R.E.Bahr NISI APES FINIS Dear Bee-liners, I'm afraid this discussion on the best/worst honey is too tempting not to contribute. As far as many here in UK are concerned the finest honey (also indicated in the price)is moorland heather (Calluna vulgaris) honey. This honey has a high protein content which has the effect of not crystallising but forming a thixotropic gel. The honey can only be removed from the combs by scraping or with a press. In the jar, air bubbles cannot rise but remain suspended in the gel giving a beautiful sparkling appearance. The taste and aroma are quite unique and cannot be described. When the heather nectar flow is on (August) the scent of the apiary(Bee-yard) at night is exotic. Several US/Canadian friends inc. some experienced beekeepers admit to its superiority when they have sampled it. The nearest equivalent honey, I'm told, is Manuka honey from New Zealand which is also thixotropic. Both these honeys are also reputed to have strong aphrodisiac qualitiies! Unfortunately they are both expensive and in short supply. The only bad honey is overheated honey. We do not have much "Fir tree honey" in UK. We call it Honeydew honey. I like Rudolph's "Animal blossoms" description. Honeydew here is the sweet, sticky excretion from aphids feeding on the trees. The bees will collect it if there is not much else around. Last summer was very hot here with hoards of aphids on sycamore and lime (Linden/Bass). A real problem if your car was parked underneath! The honey was much darker than usual and has a strong flavour reminiscent of aniseed, or liquorice maybe. (Verbal descriptions of taste are impossible!) Probably there was a high honeydew content. Best wishes to all, Glyn Davies, Ashburton, Devon. UK