Bee Pollen
Bee pollen is the protein-rich pellets that worker bees pack onto their legs and carry back to the hive. It tastes like honey and wildflowers with a faint earthiness, and a small spoonful goes a long way.
What It Is
Pollen from flowers is collected by bees, compressed into small granules, and harvested from the hive before it is processed further. The granules vary in color from yellow to orange to deep brown depending on which flowers the bees visited, and that variation is part of what makes it interesting. It has a mildly sweet, floral flavor that is unlike almost anything else in the kitchen.
Bee pollen has been eaten as a food and stirred into remedies across many cultures for a long time. Note: anyone with a bee sting allergy or pollen sensitivity should talk to a doctor before eating it.
What To Do
The most common use is simple: sprinkle a teaspoon over yogurt, oatmeal, or a bowl of fresh fruit. It adds a little crunch, a little sweetness, and a color that makes breakfast look like it took more effort than it did. It also works stirred into smoothies or scattered over avocado toast.
Heat dulls the flavor and breaks down some of what makes pollen interesting, so add it after cooking, never before. Store it in the freezer or refrigerator in a sealed container and it will keep for a year without trouble.
