Melapi honey is a variety of honey produced by the
Melapi people of
Hexahive.
Properties
Melapi honey is a highly viscous transparent amber liquid, it is noticeably thicker than regular bee's honey and has a slightly higher sugar content but is otherwise largely unchanged. Depending on the source of the ingredients, some varieties will be grainier.
The honey will sometimes crystalise, given the right circumstance. Once it starts crystalising, it can't be stopped easily as it will speed up exponentially until the entire container has turned to sugar crystals.
Melapi honey is formed from the excess sugars and oils in the diet of Melapi, usually from fruits, plant sap and nectar. Different sources will result in different flavours, appearances and texture but is generally the same at it's core.
The honey is expelled from pores in each of the hands of adult melapi. It is stored in pouches in their arms where it can either be reabsorbed for energy or ejected for external storage. With an ideal diet, a single melapi is capable of generating around 750 ml of honey every two days, though, with practice and a specialised diet, they can achieve this daily.
It is near impossible for bacteria, fungus or other contaminants to grow in melapi honey, due to this it can last almost indefinitely. Due to this aspect, it can be used as a preservative by submerging food in a container of honey.
History & Usage
Melapis will often just eat it fresh as a snack though more often they will use it as part of a larger dish. Honey-baked fruit is one of the most common dishes they will use it for, with fruit and honey crumbles coming in a close second. It is often used in Honey Bread, a sticky loaf made from a mix of honey and pollen.
Some melapi will choose to take excess honey off-world to sell at markets, where other races can buy it, one of the most common trading partners is the Webi who will mix it into their meat cakes for extra sweetness and to extend its storage life. Sky Folk humans will sometimes work alongside melapi to make it into a range of sweets.
Distribution
Melapi Honey is typically stored in jars built from Melapi Wax as it is seen as the best way to keep the flavour and reduce the chances of it unexpectedly crystalising. Jars are often plugged with a lid either made of wax or Honey Bread. Due to how it is contained, nothing goes to waste, the wax can be repurposed and the honey bread can be eaten.
A
Wax jar of Coniferous Melapi Honey featuring a
Honey Bread stopper.
Color
Amber (Varies based on its make up)
Common State
Liquid/Crystalised
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