Palm honey

[Gileno Machado]

One of my closest friends, old buddy from Engineering College who knows of my love for palms, has recently been to Santiago, Chile, on vacations, right before the horrible earthquake from last month. Well, he brought me a strange souvenir...a small can of Palm honey...from the pictures in the label I believe it comes from Jubaea chilensis fermented sap...the label doesn't mention though...

Now I'm still undecided about tasting it or not...I hope I'm not indirectly contributing to the reduction in number of this beautiful species, which may be threatened by the sale and consumption of this type of products, considering the (most certain) destruction of the old palms in the process...

Of course my friend didn't know what was behind the label...and I didn't mention him about my doubts either. It sounds like an expensive local delicassy...Do you think I should taste it with my fruit salad or better throw it in the garbage can? Is this type of honey offered for sale anywhere else, by chance?

[Got Palms]

One of my closest friends, old buddy from Engineering College who knows of my love for palms, has recently been to Santiago, Chile, on vacations, right before the horrible earthquake from last month. Well, he brought me a strange souvenir...a small can of Palm honey...from the pictures in the label I believe it comes from Jubaea chilensis fermented sap...the label doesn't mention though...

Now I'm still undecided about tasting it or not...I hope I'm not indirectly contributing to the reduction in number of this beautiful species, which may be threatened by the sale and consumption of this type of products, considering the (most certain) destruction of the old palms in the process...

Of course my friend didn't know what was behind the label...and I didn't mention him about my doubts either. It sounds like an expensive local delicassy...Do you think I should taste it with my fruit salad or better throw it in the garbage can? Is this type of honey offered for sale anywhere else, by chance?

Gileno i googled palm honey and came up with this (Palm syrup - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) it seems the palms don"t die just sets them back according to them can only be milked once every five years. Cheers Sergio.

[BS Man about Palms]

Plus, I would say whatever damage was done, is done. Try it. Let us know so we learn about it too.

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

Gileno, I think you should try it and give us all your honest opinion of it's taste and value as a food. Several months ago I went to a "Fishbones Grill" restaurant, in Wilmington, North Carolina, for the first time. I ordered a salad with my meal. There was a strange white vegetable in it that was VERY tasty. My whole family liked it. I asked the waitress what it was. She said it was "heart of palm". I was shocked. I really did not want to eat a palm since I knew this killed them. I thought about it a little and realized that the only reason that palm had ever lived was that it was farmed and grown for food. Otherwise it would have probably been long ago cut down to make room for other food crops. I also realized that if I had never tasted palm heart then I would not have all the knowledge I needed to make a informed decision on whether or not it was right to cut down palms for their heart. So again I say try it and then tell us honestly what you think.

[DoomsDave]

Gileno:

You might as well enjoy a taste, if you can, and tell us what it's like.

[quaman58]

Is it possible that it is actually honey produced be bees from the flowers of palms? Similar to "orange" honey, "clover" honey, etc; all produced from flowers of those plants.. Just a thought.

[Z4Devil]

[...]

I asked the waitress what it was. She said it was "heart of palm". I was shocked. I really did not want to eat a palm since I knew this killed them.

[...]

Yes, Jeff, I know exactly what you mean. Thierry (one of my Acanthophoenix sellers) shocked me with the information that the Red Barbel Palm at Réunion is been growin for palm hearts only. Not for decorative or hobby reasons ... no, solely for salad! I could not belive it ...

Gileno, understanding this it is better to eat honey of a palm than it´s heart.

Try it and let us know if there is something special what makes the difference.

Love, Verena

[Gileno Machado]

Thanks everyone for the interesting information and comments...

Jeff,

Heart of palms is actually a very commonly appreciated salad item here in Brazil...my wife has probably eaten many acres of cultivated Euterpe oleracea and Bactris gasipaes in the last twenty years alone... What about me? a coconut drinking machine...

I'm not against cultivated crops of any vegetable species, including palms. The problem we had in Brazil in the past was that they've started harvesting the native Euterpe edulis (a non clumping species) in the Atlantic rainforest habitats in the southeast, what caused the species to get to the threshold of extinction.

I know that a species like Jubaea chilensis takes an awful long time to develop a trunk and be considered a mature palm in habitat. I doubt they are planting these palms in Chile for this syrup-producing industry, so they may as well be "milking" these poor palms in habitat...Do you really believe that this "milking" is safe, healthy and benefits the palm? I guess not...

I've heard that the native populations of Jubaea chilensis have dramatically decreased over the centuries. They even had big sugar refineries in Chile for these palms alone...I hate to imagine the ancient Jubs bleeding to death for our pleasure...

I guess I'll taste the product anyway...in case I like the flavour I'll probably lie to you and say it's horrible so no one tries to buy it again...

[Alberto]

I guess I'll taste the product anyway...in case I like the flavour I'll probably lie to you and say it's horrible so no one tries to buy it again...

:D :D Tive que rir!!!

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

Well Gileno, I thought, when I said before, to try the honey, that it was not sure what this product was. I just did a search and found that it is exactly what you thought it was. It seems to be boiled down sap from a felled Jubaea. I thought that had been outlawed in Chile. I was wrong. There is one region called "Cocalan" which allows the cutting of these Jubaea's for the collection of the honey. The pictures of the cans you posted clearly show this regions name. The Jubaea's there will be felled anyway to sustain the industry but I now would completly understand you not wanting to support this. Since your can came from a tree that is already dead I would still try it. I'm sure you would not further support this by buying any and I would not either. I have provided some text below about the honey and the first link gives the entire text. The second link gives information on sustainable palm honey from P. canariensis.

"The process of collecting the palm sap requires cutting down the tree. The trunk is felled with the top angled down a slope. Then the leaves are removed and a razor thin slice of tissue is cut from the apex. The sap is then collected as it drips from this cut tip. To maintain sap flow a new slice is made daily over six to eight weeks or more, over which time as much as 300 to 400 liters of liquid are collected. This liquid is then boiled to concentrate the sugar and packaged to become miel de palma, palm honey.

Four centuries of heavy utilization of Chilean wine palms have drastically reduced their numbers and range. Today, this palm is primarily restricted to three large stands with a total population of about 100,000 trees. These stands are largely protected, although limited harvesting is still allowed in one of these sites, Cocal�n, for the production of palm honey. Whereas Chilean wine palm cannot be considered to be an endangered species, local conservation groups have taken a strong interest in recent years in promoting reforestation of these palms. There are now many Chilean nurseries cultivating palm seedlings, with an established goal to quintuple the existing populations of these trees over the next 30 years. Anyone with an interest in the conservation of the Chilean wine palm should look at the web site for the Fundaci�n para la Recuperaci�n y Fomento de la Palma Chilena .

Although difficult but not entirely impossible to find here in California, palm honey is readily available in grocery stores in Chile. The production is far too small to supply and international market. It is sold in cans as pure palm honey or with a few coquitos of the palm added. Palm honey has many uses, all delicious ones. In can be poured over fresh fruit, added to ice cream or yogurt, or, my favorite, applied as a syrup for pancakes. The flavor is not strong and more like corn syrup than maple syrup."

http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/membgnewsletter/volume5number4/Thechileanwinepalm.html

http://www.canarius.com/blog/tag/palm-honey

[Jaydeebee]

Gileno, I think you should try it and give us all your honest opinion of it's taste and value as a food. Several months ago I went to a "Fishbones Grill" restaurant, in Wilmington, North Carolina, for the first time. I ordered a salad with my meal. There was a strange white vegetable in it that was VERY tasty. My whole family liked it. I asked the waitress what it was. She said it was "heart of palm". I was shocked. I really did not want to eat a palm since I knew this killed them. I thought about it a little and realized that the only reason that palm had ever lived was that it was farmed and grown for food. Otherwise it would have probably been long ago cut down to make room for other food crops. I also realized that if I had never tasted palm heart then I would not have all the knowledge I needed to make a informed decision on whether or not it was right to cut down palms for their heart. So again I say try it and then tell us honestly what you think.

[Jaydeebee]

Jeff, what street is this fishbones grill located in Wilmington? i live near the coast and would like to try it.I'm 100 miles away

Edited April 5, 2010 by Jaydeebee

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

Jeff, what street is this fishbones grill located in Wilmington? i live near the coast and would like to try it.I'm 100 miles away

Jaydeebee, I'm sorry I messed up the name. It is actually "Bonefish Grill". It is at 4719 New Centre Dr. and is accessed from that rd. but is actually on Market St. and can be seen from there. If you are coming into town on I 40, it turns into N. College a little before the overpass that goes over Highway 17 (Market St.). Turn south on Highway 17 and it is the third st. past the N. College Rd. overpass on the right. I only have eaten there once, a couple of months ago, but I remember it was good.

[palmcurry]

These products are not that bad. If and when you try it, do so in a good prepared dish. I searched 'palm honey' on food network and got 41 recipes. I cook with palm sugar in my curries and its delicious. Palm hearts can be wonderfull. They're like bamboo shoots(or bamboo hearts) just delightful in a light dish. One of these days I'm gonna tear down the queen palms in front of my house and cut out LOTS OF THEIR HEARTS to chow down on them with FERVER....and I can't wait!!!! I'll make a 'palmcurry'

Palms ae plants, not people. It's OK to eat them

[Gileno Machado]

Well Gileno, I thought, when I said before, to try the honey, that it was not sure what this product was. I just did a search and found that it is exactly what you thought it was. It seems to be boiled down sap from a felled Jubaea. I thought that had been outlawed in Chile. I was wrong. There is one region called "Cocalan" which allows the cutting of these Jubaea's for the collection of the honey. The pictures of the cans you posted clearly show this regions name. The Jubaea's there will be felled anyway to sustain the industry but I now would completly understand you not wanting to support this. Since your can came from a tree that is already dead I would still try it. I'm sure you would not further support this by buying any and I would not either. I have provided some text below about the honey and the first link gives the entire text. The second link gives information on sustainable palm honey from P. canariensis.

"The process of collecting the palm sap requires cutting down the tree. The trunk is felled with the top angled down a slope. Then the leaves are removed and a razor thin slice of tissue is cut from the apex. The sap is then collected as it drips from this cut tip. To maintain sap flow a new slice is made daily over six to eight weeks or more, over which time as much as 300 to 400 liters of liquid are collected. This liquid is then boiled to concentrate the sugar and packaged to become miel de palma, palm honey.

Four centuries of heavy utilization of Chilean wine palms have drastically reduced their numbers and range. Today, this palm is primarily restricted to three large stands with a total population of about 100,000 trees. These stands are largely protected, although limited harvesting is still allowed in one of these sites, Cocal�n, for the production of palm honey. Whereas Chilean wine palm cannot be considered to be an endangered species, local conservation groups have taken a strong interest in recent years in promoting reforestation of these palms. There are now many Chilean nurseries cultivating palm seedlings, with an established goal to quintuple the existing populations of these trees over the next 30 years. Anyone with an interest in the conservation of the Chilean wine palm should look at the web site for the Fundaci�n para la Recuperaci�n y Fomento de la Palma Chilena .

Although difficult but not entirely impossible to find here in California, palm honey is readily available in grocery stores in Chile. The production is far too small to supply and international market. It is sold in cans as pure palm honey or with a few coquitos of the palm added. Palm honey has many uses, all delicious ones. In can be poured over fresh fruit, added to ice cream or yogurt, or, my favorite, applied as a syrup for pancakes. The flavor is not strong and more like corn syrup than maple syrup."

http://www.botgard.ucla.edu/html/membgnewsletter/volume5number4/Thechileanwinepalm.html

http://www.canarius.com/blog/tag/palm-honey

Thanks for the valuable information, Jeff. I really learned a lot from these links you've posted.

I hope Kris doesn't see the movie about sap collecting with Phoenix canariensis...I felt sorry for those palms too...

Hopefully the conservation groups will improve the new Jubaea plantings in Chile soon.

[merrill]

My love of palms is second to none, I imagine. There is no danger of extinguishing Sabal palmetto. Going South from Orlando, leave the turnpike and take the virtually empty old parallel road thru Kenansville. The population of Sabal palmetto may amaze you!

One of the multitrunked Bactris palms is grown in what could pass for giant asparagus beds!

Best Wishes,

merrill

Edited April 6, 2010 by merrill

[edbrown_III]

sometimes the best thing in the world is to have the palms become valuable (for their honey) as long as its sustainable you ensure replanting. Theres an economic interest in its conservation as well as expansion. Its a double edged sword (with cycads) but some crocodillians are prospering mainly because they have become valuable to sustain.

Best regards

Ed