Quince...What is it all about?

"The quince (/ˈkwɪns/; Cydonia oblonga) is the sole member of the genus Cydonia in the family Rosaceae (which also contains apples and pears, among other fruits). It is a small deciduous tree that bears a pome fruit, similar in appearance to a pear, and bright golden-yellow when mature. Throughout history the cooked fruit has been used as food, but the tree is also grown for its attractive pale pink blossom and other ornamental qualities." Wiki

Yes... a couple of years ago I also had no idea that this fruit existed, let alone that it has been around us, on the Maltese islands, for the past 500 years or so. The Maltese name is Sfarġel (farmers we work with and some online articles also refer to it as Sfejġel). Somehow, maybe because of its scattered presence, through lack of awareness or due to expansion of imports, this mysterious fruit faded away into the lands of the forgotten - at least for the large part of today's generations.

Lately however, thanks to the revival of local products, we are observing a renewed interest in the fruit and our aim is to learn more about it. It is already clear from what farmers recount, together with modern studies, that the health benefits of quince are not to be discounted - they include anti-inflammatory properties, treatment of stomach ailments, antioxidant properties... the list goes on...

photo by jeanette borg

'Merill' Quince Jam - photo by lindsey cauchi

If you're the hands-on type of person (and you manage to get your hands on some of this fruit, here's a recipe for quince jam I found on this great blog.

Have you tasted the jam... how would you describe it? Do you have some more information on this fruit? We would love to hear from you and learn more. Leave us a comment here below or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or email.

Let’s Talk About Honey, Honey! – Part 2

It's been harvested for 8,000 years, and its natural properties make it antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-carcinogenic, yet there are still a lot people who don’t know about this nectar of the gods… so we went out and got some answers.

In the first part of the series, we set out to debunk the misconceptions about ‘pure’ honey. Now, Project Leader Jeanette Borg, dishes the facts about crystallisation and the process needed to ensure your honey is pure.

How do I know if the honey I’m buying is pure?

“Well, the only way to be 100 per cent sure is through expensive and extensive laboratory tests. These check for water, sugar and protein content, and will detect whether the honey is adulterated or not.

“What do the results show? Well, for instance, pure honey contains around 17.1g of water per 100g. If the test results show that water content is a lot more, or a lot less, it means that there’s something wrong.

“Another important test to figure out if the honey at hand is local or not, is a pollen analysis for the characterisation of botanical origin. If pollen from a plant species that doesn’t grow in Malta is found, then that means that the honey is not Maltese and thus not local.

“Obviously, like all the other products we consume, we, as consumers, need to decide whether we trust the brand or not. At Merill, we have teamed up with several beekeepers that supply us with the purest and most authentic honey possible. We know these beekeepers personally and work hand in hand with them.

“Nevertheless, we understand that you can’t always take someone’s word as fact, so we explore different kinds of chemical testing to ensure that our product is always 100 per cent genuine.”

My honey’s crystallised. Is it bad?

“I love this question, but let’s start from the very basics: Even the purest of honeys can, and most probably will, crystallise – and that’s okay!

“There are many variables that affect the process of crystallisation in layers or in its totality, and these include the climate, the flora on which the bees have foraged, and whether the jar contains different kinds of honey (i.e. created by bees from different flora) mixed together.

“While many of the people we meet frown when they see crystallised or solid honey, we can assure you that if you had to buy pure honey from Sicily or other countries with similar climates, the chances are that it would come in a crystallised form too.

“Unfortunately, it is never a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer with this question, but what you should keep in mind is that honey that never crystallises is most probably syrup (so sugar, rather than pure honey).”

Is dark honey ‘pure’?

“Not only does the colour of natural honey range from white to dark amber, but studies have shown that the darker the honey, the higher its antioxidant capacity!

“Therefore, yes, dark honey can be pure too.”

Click here for "Let’s Talk About Honey, Honey! – Part 1"

Do you have any other questions about the honey you’re buying or the products we sell? Then feel free to drop us a line at info@merill.com.mt or call us on 2141 1388.

 Interviewed by Iggy Fenech

Let’s Talk About Honey, Honey! – Part 1

Photo by Juan Debono

Growing up, we all learn that Malta’s geographical position is so strategic that empires and civilisations fought over us incessantly. What we should also keep in mind is that, through their differences, one thing united them: they all dubbed us ‘the Land of Honey’.

Malta’s endemic bee population produces some of the tastiest and healthiest honey in the world, yet the majority of people still don’t know the basic facts about this sweet food we’re so renowned for.

So we decided to chat to Jeanette Borg, project leader of the Merill Rural Network, to get to the bottom of the honey jar once and for all.

What is honey? And why is it important?

“Honey is natural syrup containing fructose, glucose and a variety of natural sugars, and it’s the only natural food in the world that contains all the ingredients needed to sustain life, including water. It also contains pollen, and companies selling honey are now obliged to specify the presence of pollen as an ingredient under EU legislation.

“Throughout history, honey has been known to be a natural remedy for many ailments, and it’s been proven, tried and tested by men and scientists the world over that it actually is. These properties mostly come from the phenolic compounds that make it antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, and anti-carcinogenic.

“Honey’s properties have not been recently discovered however and, while prehistoric man had no idea of the chemical composition of honey, even he knew that this was indeed the nectar of the gods. Cave paintings in Spain actually show him gathering this sweet food some 8,000 years ago.”

Are mānuka and wild thyme honey the only good kinds?

“What’s important to keep in mind is that Maltese bees do not produce mānuka honey, yet, at the same time, the best place to source good honey is locally – and this is where certain misconceptions arise.

“First of all, we must understand that Maltese beekeepers harvest honey in early and late summer, and in late autumn; and we must always take into consideration the flora available around the beehives and the natural rainfall. After all, no rainfall means no flora, which in turn means no food for the bees, and, ultimately, no honey.

“For example, in 2013, the rainfall was so poor that the honey harvest was negligible. As Merill, we had to tell our clients that we didn’t have any available, and it was tough – both for them and for us. Sales are what keep us going as that revenue goes straight back into our projects. But, even so, we’re people with solid principles, and while we’re committed to supporting and working with Maltese farmers, we want our products to be of the highest standards every time.

“Yet, if Maltese people keep asking for mānuka honey, which is not produced in Malta, or wild thyme honey, which is produced in very limited quantities, then we risk pushing beekeepers to lie about their products… Having said that, I think sometimes people prefer lies to the truth about a product that’s being sold, however, we will never sell a jar of spring honey as a wild thyme one.

“Even so, quantities are what they are, and demand is much greater than the supply. And that’s what makes Maltese honey so covetable: it’s a rare delicacy full of natural nutrients with an origin that is almost always verifiable.”

So, if it’s not mānuka or wild thyme honey, what kind of honey is it?

“In early summer, the honey harvest is produced from spring multi-flora. This usually has a golden yellow hue.

“In late summer, we start getting wild thyme – among other flora – and the colour of this is usually golden amber.

‘In late autumn, we get autumn flora honey, such as carob and eucalyptus. The colour of this is often brownish amber.

“What’s important to keep in mind is that the same bee can produce differently-coloured honeys, depending on what it manages to find while it’s foraging. Yet, just because a honey is not strictly wild thyme or mānuka, doesn’t mean it’s less nutritious or pure.”

Click here for "Let’s Talk About Honey, Honey! – Part 2"

Do you have any other questions about the honey you’re buying or the products we sell? Then feel free to drop us a line at info@merill.com.mt or to call us on 2141 1388.

photo by Edward Ellul

Interviewed by Iggy Fenech