Apiculture in Boñar
Municipality of Boñar
Apiculture
Our Beekeeping
Boñar has three things that León does not have: the maragato in the tower, in the plaza the Negrillón and 180 km2 of pure biodiversity where there will be no shortage of hard-working domestic bees, providing us with their best products.
Yes, dear neighbours and tourists, beekeeping is very present when we talk about Boñar. This is a farming activity which, apart from the importance it generates for the maintenance of ecosystems, contributes to the rural economy by contributing to the richness of our gastronomy.
Honey from the Mountain. Honey from the Forest.
Brezo honey.
Oak/Holm oak honey.
The region of Boñar has mountain, meadow and forest vegetation, as well as small scale agriculture, those areas of sowing of various types without predominance of one in particular, which we can see throughout our landscape. Another of the most important natural resources to be taken into account in beekeeping is water, and the town of Boñar, where water flows the most, possesses this great resource, which is very abundant and of excellent quality. For all these reasons, the personality of our honey is both of floral origin and of oak or holm oak honeydew, which are the sugary secretions obtained from these trees. This shows us a wide range of mixtures that will not leave your palate indifferent.
This classification gives us a broad idea of what the honey of Boñar can be like, although the reality is that each honey has a composition of nectars in different proportions, which gives it a unique and incomparable character.
In addition to honey, the hives are also used to collect the pollen collected by the bees, which is classified in a similar way to honey. Each harvest is different from the one that precedes it, which makes it extraordinarily unrepeatable. Pollen, the male fertilising element of the flowers, is collected by the bees and transformed into granules and then transported to the hive, where it will be stored.
On a nutritional level, it was not perhaps one of the best known until now, but it has characteristics of great nutritional value as it is an excellent source of proteins, contains amino acids, enzymes and vitamins, and has gone from being a first-rate nutritional complement with great properties to being a gastronomic resource that promises to bring spring to our taste.
Another very interesting bee product is propolis. It is a substance produced by bees from tree resins, which is used as a natural remedy due to its high antibiotic value, boosting the defences of those who ingest it.
Straight from the hive to your kitchen
Gastronomic culture is changing. We are moving from the traditional to the avant-garde and we love the confluence of all the currents that lead us to enjoy new culinary experiences.
When we think of bee products in the kitchen, we think of those marvellous torrijas that our grandmothers used to make for us at Easter with honey on top, a crunchy toast with cottage cheese and honey for breakfast… but why not innovate?
Beehives have entered directly into the kitchens of the great and most famous chefs and they are showing us that we still have a world of experiences to discover.
We can find pairings for meats, roasts, vinaigrettes, spirits, sweets… where honey is the protagonist or the perfect accompaniment, giving a special touch to our dishes and pleasantly surprising our guests.
In addition to honey, another bee product that has found its way into our kitchens is pollen. Its use as a gastronomic product is innovative, offering great surprises in haute cuisine, gradually making its way into the kitchen of our homes in a simple way. It can be consumed in smoothies as toppings, natural yoghurt seasoned with honey and pollen, cereals, salads and an endless number of ideas that you can think of.
And while we’re on the subject of cooking, it’s time to get down to work. Below, we offer you a homemade option, easy and simple to prepare, of an energy bar, so that your strength does not fail when it comes to completing the wonderful and numerous hikes that our region has to offer.
A deliciously perfect combination
Oatmeal, honey, blueberry and chocolate energy bars.
Ingredients:
250 gr oat flakes
120 ml of honey
100 gr of chocolate 85%
50 gr of nuts
50 gr of dried blueberries or any dried fruit.
40 ml of sunflower oil
10 g of pollen (optional).
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients, except the chocolate, in a bowl.
Pour the mixture into a mould, previously greased with butter. Spread it well and press it down. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until it turns golden brown, at about 160 degrees centigrade.
Remove from the oven and leave it to cool completely. Cut into portions.
Dip each bar into the melted chocolate.
Leave the chocolate to cool and then store it in the fridge.
