Living in a metropolitan city like London comes with unlimited opportunities. On weekdays, exciting projects at work. On weekends, trips to the spa, gym, musicals, social events and world cuisines to name a few! Fast paced lifestyle defines this vibrant place – the diversity that makes this place so unique!
Something was missing though – when doing weekly shopping in the supermarket and stocking up on the grocery, I often found myself deflated after the purchase of honey. The supermarket honey was just not cutting it for me and by far was missing the quality I was used to. It seemed bland and tasted more like a sugary syrup rather than my go-to home remedy and delicacy!
You see, growing up in the south of Poland surrounded by coniferous forests, farms and nearby mountains meant easy access to organic food. On the weekends, as a child, I would frequent farmers markets to grab fresh fruits, veggies and honey directly from the local farmers whom I loved chatting to.
Fast forward into my twenties, with regular trips home, I would stock up on a few regional goodies, and pack handful of my favourite honey jars in my suitcase before flying back to the UK.
After travelling around South East Asia and staying in Japan for a few months, I became more aware of the importance of a healthy, balanced diet, rich in vegetables and herbs. And that’s how I re-discovered myself in the kitchen, creating blends of European and pan Asian cooking!
Given the limited options in the supermarkets, which often rely on the lower quality blended honey that is used more as a sweetener for pancakes and packaged in plastic bottles, I incorporated bringing honey jars back from my tips in Poland in the suitcase or depended on sending parcels by my parents. What was taken for granted, was no longer the case with the onset of pandemic!
It soon became more apparent that my regular trips home to stock up on honey will get more difficult to achieve. Fine-tuning your work-life balance, having positive mindset and re-discovering self-care meant giving priority to healthy, organic products which are sustainably sourced which can be trusted.
I craved the good quality, rich flavours of the golden syrup I remembered as a child – even more so, as a healthy, preventative way for staying away from colds in a variety of flavours.
So there I was, still making the most of London whilst building natural immunity through regular use of some of the most potent natural remedies:
i. regular exercising
ii. good quality of sleep
iii. drinking ginger
iv. olive oil and
v. tablespoon of honey
Each spoonful of honey would transport me to the green meadows full of blossoming flowers, sunshine and countryside lifestyle, taking me one step closer to the nature when I incorporated it into the daily walks around the Docklands by the Thames and London parks.
This is how the idea of Amber Hives was born. Focusing on the organic, sustainable and highest quality products, now that I have the opportunity to share my love for flavourful honey I know my childhood memories, and I want to give this opportunity also to you.
Sweet Vibes from Amberlina
Amber hives!