"Welcome to The Waterfront Restaurant on Anna Maria Island. We would like to share with you more than an outstanding dining experience; we invite you to escape to a simpler time – tropical, laid-back Florida the way it used to be."
Confessing as I do a hopeless addiction to convention (on the admittedly lame theory that it is always safe to stick with what one knows and likes), I normally have ordered only Prince Edward Island mussels when venturing into the mollusk vernacular. Inspired by an unwitting enthusiasm for adventure I decided instead to follow the lead of our friend. It could not have been more fortuitous! The broth was beyond compare (and I as much as told our somewhat churlish server who later communicated the reciprocal gratitude of the Chef). Naturally my custom lingered to set aside the accompanying crisp fried bread with Parmesan cheese until completion of the clams and broth; it proved to be an undeniable complement!
My reciprocal contribution to the delectations of our friends is what I have lately discovered in the deli department of Publix grocery store; viz., honeycomb manufactured in Georgia. As I told them this singular product succeeds to a new level of gratification. Pure ambrosia!
"Honeycomb is the most raw form of honey. It is beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. Acacia honey is one of the most sought after honey varieties in the world. Its light color, mild taste, incredible clarity, and slow rate of crystallization put it at the top of the honey world. To have it in honeycomb form is simply divine. The beeswax comb is entirely edible, contains vitamin A and is a source of roughage."
Savannah Bee Company
By way of instruction I want to add that there is an obvious limitation upon the food; that is the beeswax itself, the essential feature of the honeycomb.
"Beeswax
is a natural
wax
produced by
honey bees. The wax is formed into scales by eight wax-producing glands in the abdominal segments of
worker bees which discard it in or at the hive. The hive workers collect and use it to form cells for honey storage and larval and pupal protection within the
beehive. Chemically beeswax consists mainly of
fatty acids and various
long-chain alcohols.
Beeswax has been used since prehistory as man's first plastic, as a lubricant and waterproofing agent, in
lost wax casting
of metals and glass, as a
polish
for wood and leather and for making
candles, as an ingredient in cosmetics and as an artistic medium in
encaustic painting.
Beeswax is edible, having similar negligible
toxicity
to plant waxes, and is approved for food use in most countries and in the
European Union."
What mustn't be neglected is that the wax can become annoying when consumed. It tends to collect between one's teeth (especially those choppers which with age have lost some of their erstwhile gum protection). This is particularly so if one is inclined - as I am - to engage in the vulgarity of spooning the ingredients. Reportedly the wax is salubrious. I have as a result unwittingly learned to complement the production with Mariani Premium Walnuts. This simple addition translates the consumption into an entirely new world of euphoria, not the least element of which is that its reputed healthfulness authorizes and authenticates the indulgence!
I hasten to add that the visceral supplement does not however improve my spiritual table manners. I remorselessly continue to spoon the natural blessing! Should anyone care to know, the honeycomb, walnuts and strong, black coffee make a superlative breakfast treat especially after a bit of protein and fruit.
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