Local Honey York

Honey and mead from Araucaria Fine Foods, a small business near Escrick, south of York, run by beekeeper Bruno Hannemann from around 14 hives of his own.

Bruno grew up helping his father look after the bees on the family's nature reserve in southern Brazil – a skill passed down the generations since an ancestor of his took European honey bees to Brazil in 1867. He brought that with him to Britain, along with a love of cooking, foraging and preserving.

All the honey in Araucaria mead comes from his own hives, so batches are small, bottles are numbered and each batch tastes a little different. Alongside traditional mead he has made fruit and spiced versions, and the business also makes jams, jellies and other preserves, often from foraged ingredients.

Bruno is a trustee of the York & District Beekeepers Association, teaches beginners, helps collect swarms, and his honey and mead have taken prizes at the Great Yorkshire Show and Egton Show. To buy honey or mead, contact Araucaria direct.