Subject:      'Chewing Wax'
 
<Richard says:>
On holiday in Germany this summer, I saw a market stall selling hive
products including jars labelled 'KAUWACHS' (Chewing wax).  It appeared
to be nothing more than minced up pieces of comb, presumably from frames
which had been extracted. It was priced at 7 Marks, which was a lot more
than a jar of honey.  I've never seen it anywhere else.  Is it a German
speciality, or is someone being enterprising and trying to create a
demand for a new product?
Richard Bunce.  ([log in to unmask])
<end quotes>
 
  Hi Richard,
 
    When I a was a boy, and ice and milk, with cream, were delivered to
the home, honey was also dropped off at the door to my home in Monterey,
California, 1940's.
 
    It came in quart fruit jars and always had a layer of clean white
wax capping on top. Like the first one to the milk got all the cream,
the first one to the honey got all the "chewing wax". And like the
cream we thought that was the best part of the honey.
 
    I am sure the reason for the wax on top was to give visual proof
that it was pure honey, and not some kind of sugar syrup.
 
    I have seen beekeepers at different times selling just capping
wax with honey, the problem they run into is the honey tends to
crystallize fast. A few years ago in one health food craze cycle pollen
was also gouged out with the wax and honey, then you add the problems of
pollen worms, (mis named wax worms), with the granulated honey. This all
keeps the market limited to local customers and in fact would be in
violation of many state laws here that say honey shall bee 100% pure
honey, and if anything else is in the same jar it must be labeled
adulterated. (in big print) Not too good for sales....
                                                        ttul Andy-
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