Chamber of Sweetness

Beekeeping is a labor of love for Ted Dennard, who took it up after a chance encounter with Roy Hightower. Roy was looking for a spot to keep his hives, and in exchange for some space on the Dennard’s forest retreat, he introduced young Ted to the ways of honeybees. Ever since that meeting, bees have been a major part of Ted’s life. He even taught beekeeping in Jamaica when he was with the Peace Corps. Many years later Ted turned his passion into a business, and today he heads The Savannah Bee Company, which offers incredible honeycomb sections and award-winning specialty honey created from single blossom types.

To enjoy honey straight from the honeycomb is an experience you won’t forget. When you break apart a section of the honeycomb, pure golden honey begins to ooze slowly from the countless geometric cells. It’s both rustic and elegant at the same time. The honeycomb itself is made up of very thin beeswax, which is entirely edible.The sweetness of the honey and the chewiness of the wax are the perfect complement to an aromatic cheese, hot biscuits and breads, and your favorite fresh or dried fruits.

Savannah Bee also offers beautiful gift sets featuring its Tupelo Honey (the gold standard of honey, with buttery undertones and a mellow sweetness) and Sourwood Honey (a southern Appalachian favorite with big flavor and hints of maple and spice). It doesn’t get more artisanal than this.

— Ann