Honey is the star of the show at Madrid’s Miel El Colmenero. Since 1949 they have been serving Chamberi with high-quality fruit and vegetables, deli fare such as cheeses, cured meats and olives; cakes, cookies, bread and dried goods. But all these things play a secondary role to honey.
There are about 15 raw honeys to choose from – strong to mild, sweet, more bitter, set or runny, almond, chestnut and orange blossoms, rosemary, thyme, lavender and avocado… It’s hard to choose!
This is slow shopping so you may need patience – when I first came to Spain all the shops were like this one. No slinging packets into a trolley – you had to ask for each item, and it could take a while! At Miel El Colmenero it is still the way you shop – and it’s a great chance to practise your Spanish! We are always running around, but sometimes it’s great to just enjoy an experience like shopping the old-fashioned way.
So if you are in the neighbourhood, perhaps having a drink at La Mina or visiting Sala Canal Isabel, make sure you stop by, support a small local and very traditional business and stock up on some delicious honey!