A Taste of Honey

Did you know that area eucalyptus trees bloom in the winter? It’s a fact not lost on beekeeper Brian Cox. Or the customers who watch for his eucalyptus honey to appear this time of year at area farmers’ markets.

“We don’t get very much of it,” Cox said. “The winter days are shorter, so the bees don’t have as much time to collect the nectar.”

Cox, proprietor of Ojai Valley Bee Farm, offers a range of honey types, most of which are produced during the spring and summer and are plentiful enough to be marketed year-round.

Eucalyptus honey, though, is generally available in January and February.

But note that this amber-hued variety can have a strong, distinctive taste.

“If you don’t have a very discerning palate, you probably wouldn’t like eucalyptus,” Cox said. “It’s kind of different. It has a sort of butterscotch flavor.”

Honey-related: Last year’s El Nino-driven rains were responsible for an explosion of wildflower growth, and Cox and other area beekeepers are reaping the benefits.

“When it rains like that, we get a lot of sage,” Cox said.

Sage honey has a light golden hue and delicate flavor favored by many honey-lovers, he said. Cox also offers a California buckwheat variety, which is heavy-bodied and full-flavored.

Ojai Valley Bee Farm honey varieties are available at farmers’ markets in Thousand Oaks (Thursdays), Ventura (Saturdays) and Ojai (Sundays).

Going, Going . . : Soon to be gone is Ojai grower Nancy Welter’s seasonal offering of kiwi fruit. Welter guesstimates that her supplies might last until the end of January. Kiwi fans can purchase her fruit at the Ventura (Saturdays) and Ojai (Sundays) farmers’ markets.

“Any time you can get kiwi locally off the vine, the quality is outstanding,” Welter said. “The size this year has been really great.”

In the six years Welter has offered kiwi, she has noticed that the fuzzy ovals with the emerald green flesh have gained a wider appreciation among shoppers.

“The first year I sold, people didn’t know what they were,” she said. “They thought they were little brown eggs.”

But thanks to industry promotion and plentiful distribution, the former “exotic” is now sought for its citrus-melon flavor and health benefits.

According to the California Kiwifruit Commission, kiwi boasts almost twice the amount of vitamin C as oranges, and the fruit is considered a good source of potassium and fiber.

The kiwi shopper should select firm, unblemished fruit. Don’t worry about size--smallish kiwi are just as tasty as the larger ones.

Ripeness test: Press the outside of the fruit with your thumb. If it yields to slight pressure, the fruit is ripe. Ripening tip: Place fruit in a bag along with an apple or a banana and leave it on the counter for a day or two.

Now for the good part--the eating. The kiwi industry has dreamed up all sorts of recipes using the fruit, from salsa to sauces, pancakes to omelets. Culinary ingenuity aside, the best way to enjoy these things is fresh. Slice ‘em in half and spoon out the meaty flesh.

“My kids have gotten to the point where they just rub the fuzz off and eat them like an apple,” Welter said.

You might prefer removing the fibrous skin.

It’s Back. . . : The Thousand Oaks farmers’ market has concluded its holiday hiatus and is back in action each Thursday from 3 to 6:30 p.m. at The Oaks mall. Located at the east end parking lot (Wilbur Road and Thousand Oaks Boulevard), the market is forced to close each holiday because of vehicular multitudes.

“It’s a parking situation,” said Karen Schott, market manager. “There just isn’t enough space for everybody.”

And since we’re on the topic of farmers’ markets, following is a schedule of other county bazaars:

* Ventura--Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Street and Mills Road (Montgomery Ward parking lot).

* Oxnard--Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., 5th and C streets (Plaza Park).

* Ventura--Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Santa Clara and Palm streets (city parking lot).

* Camarillo--Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to noon, Senior Nutrition Center, 2220 Ventura Blvd.

* Ojai--Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 300 E. Matilija St. (behind downtown Arcade).

* Channel Islands--Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Harbor Landing, 2400 S. Harbor Blvd.