A rock drawing near Valencia in Spain that dates back to 15000 BC shows two men climbing up cords to reach the nest of a swarm of bees. Since spring and summer come earlier to Upper than to Lower Egypt, beekeepers would place their hives on boats and descend the Nile in stages as the flowers and other plants bloomed. Ancient literature teems with references to bees, honey and beekeeping. The Romans, a more practical people, left various testimonials to the numerous preparations in which honey was a principal ingredient. Apicius gives some recipes that have allowed us to reconstruct the nature and type of Roman desserts.
Honey is a complex of invert sugars and an unequaled source of energy.
The principal ingredient is derived from the transformation of sacrose by an enzyme, invertase, that is secreted in the intestines of bees. Honey sugar practically cannot be crystalized and always retains a certain degree of humidity. The consistency, aroma and flavor of honey depends on the vegetation of the area where it is produced. Honey is collected in spring and fall but the spring harvest is always better. The nectar from some plants, especially absinthe, confers disagreeable odors on honey.