An Unexpected Encounter

Tonight I had an unexpected encounter with really good honey, and tasted it in a way that was completely new to me.  Melanie and I meet at the same place every week for “book club”, an indulgence that consists of the two of us, a few drinks, and no conversation about books.  Caring for young children full time is a weighty responsibility.  Work hard, play hard. 

One of the benefits of this regularity is getting to know the bartender.  Tonight MFH discovered my obsession with honey and made me a special drink.  He crafted it with care and precision, smelling and tasting until it was just right.  And it was right.  A subtly sweet aroma similar to what you experience when a hive is cracked open, with an aftertaste of honey that lingers in your mouth like it does off the spoon. 

When I pressed him about specifics, he said “honey is honey, right?” and I felt the knife twist in my chest.  How could someone who so artfully created this masterpiece be so dismissive about the magic ingredient?   I insisted those flavors did not belong to mere supermarket honey, and begged him to search in back for the jar.  Thank you, sir, but I was right.  It was Ethan’s honey.  I knew it was special.  MFH, you created a drink that makes me weak in the knees, but you have a lot to learn about really good honey.