Advent, Advent, ein Lichtlein brennt... Yes, it's almost time to light the first candle on the advent wreath. In celebration of the four weeks of Christmas, I'm offering you a 10% discount on the purchase of any four candles from apidae candles. Just use the code ADVENT2014 at www.apidaecandles.de for my customers in Europe or at Etsy for those of you in the USA.     But where does this tradition come from? After a bit of research, it doesn't seem quite clear. Some evidence indicates that the wreath was already around in the Middle Ages. Other evidence shows that the...

We've all read that honey is good for us. Here's a refresher on why... 1. Honey contains anti-oxidants which could help prevent some cancers and heart disease. 2. “All honey is antibacterial, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide,” said Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand. 3. Ancient Olympic athletes would eat honey and dried figs to enhance their performance. More modern studies have shown that honey does help athletes recover quicker than other sugars. 4. The best part of having a cold is that teaspoon of honey to...

Heading to Paris this weekend? Then you absolutely must head to the southwestern edge of the Jardin du Luxembourg (one of my favorite places on this planet) to discover the "ruches", the beehives that reside in the garden. This hidden corner will come to life this weekend for the "Fête du Miel", the honey festival. The beehives have been in the garden since 1856. And as expected in Paris, the hives are fit for a queen. Each wooden hive has its own copper roof. The bees even have their own fountain to quench their thirst. The French capital has been...

With the abundance of produce coming from the garden, it's canning season right now. But you can do so much more with your recycled Weck jars. Let's bake cake!     For the Cake: 150g unsalted peanuts 150g butter for the jars 200g natural peanut butter 150g sugar (I use brown) 4 eggs 50ml milk 350g flour (I use spelt) 15g baking powder   For the Icing: 150g whipping cream 100g bitter chocolate   Makes 6 - 7 1/5l Weck Jars   1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 with air circulation). Use a mortar and pestle to chop...