A Bittersweet Tale from a Honey Book Author

By Cal Orey

HONEY AND CINNAMON POWER

Cinnamon bites and kisses simultaneously.

--Vanna Bonta 

I faced sweet and spicy experiences on my road travels, like a honey bee in flight; I was stricken by untimely challenges.  One afternoon in Las Vegas Tiger and I were in front of Lady Luck Casino. It was my idea to leave my long-haired partner in the shade with water at the doorstep of the entry way while I tried to hitch a safe ride back home to California. As I was walking inside an older man called out to me: “Nice dog.” I got an uneasy vibe but tuned it out.

      Fifteen minutes later, I left the casino. My best friend was MIA. Shocked and disoriented like a beekeeper with stolen bee colonies, I stood outside in the hot sun. I tried to fight back the tears.  After a long search there was no rescue. My canine buddy was gone. I cried all night long.

      At dawn, at a café I ordered a cinnamon roll, tea and honey. I was like a devoted beekeeper without his girls or beloved queen bee. I was alone.  It was one of the worst experiences I endured on the road. And flashbacks of our travels from coast to coast, haunted me then but now are cherished memories of a dog and a girl—an amazing human-canine bond. I left a photo of me, the hippie girl with her dog in Ontario, Canada on the bulletin board at the local animal shelter. Through all the pain and loss, I moved on.

     A few months later, fate paid me a visit. A black Labrador pup with soulful brown eyes came into my life on the road. We rescued each other at Ocean Beach, San Diego. We bonded instantly like a beekeeper with new queens and Stone Fox and I, California Butterfly continued on our journey together. A loyal dog and its dedicated human are similar to super powers of two superfoods--honey and cinnamon.

HONEY’S CONSTANT COMPANION

Formerly featured in
The Good Cook Book Club and
Wellbella Magazine

     The delicious taste of hot cinnamon buns with sticky honey and the warm memories they invoke in me from childhood when I smelled a homemade apple pie baking in the oven. The earthy, inviting flavor of cinnamon has been used worldwide by a multitude of cultures for its versatile seasoning powers as well as for its healing powers for thousands of years.

     Cinnamon comes from the bark of the cinnamon tree found mostly in Ceylon and China.  It can be found in several forms, including the stick, which can be grated or used to stir or season beverages—such as hot chocolate and apple cider. In ground form, it is the most common spice used for seasoning and baking.  There are countless dishes that call for both cinnamon and honey—two of nature’s finest foods that complement each other as well as provide medicinal properties.

      A new feature on the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid is the addition of spices, for reasons of both health and taste. Also, spices contribute to the natural identities of various Mediterranean cuisines.

      So, can a spice, like cinnamon paired with honey, which enhances the taste of many foods and warms the hearts of all who enjoy its aroma—hold healing powers to relieve pain and rev up your sex drive?  I took a look at the popular claims and this is what I discovered.

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