A spoonful of honey

Many years ago now, I met my husband's parents for the first time and enjoyed a weekend away with them.  In the morning, I was greeted with a spoonful of honey and three almonds.  Shortly after, I was served a steaming cup of cardamom-scented chai and the most perfectly crisp potato paratha {the first of many!}.  Surely, I thought, I could easily become accustomed to such {delicious} morning traditions.

After I ate to my heart's content, I whispered to my husband, "So what's the story with the three almonds?"  I expected him to tell me the age old wisdom associated with what seemed to be a tradition in his family.  Instead, he said, "I don't know - it's just something we do."  Of course - sometimes that is just the way of tradition.  There may be no rhyme or reason - or maybe there is, but the rhyme has long been forgotten.  Surely, when I asked my now father-in-law to explain, he had a more elaborate explanation, rooted primarily in the health benefits which link almonds to reducing the risk of heart disease, boosting metabolism, and bolstering memory.  Then, at the end, he added, "And it is just a nice way to start the day."  My thoughts exactly! 

In honor of this tradition, my husband and I gave the guests at our wedding jars of local buckwheat honey.  We labeled and tied each with a ribbon as a sweet little package for our guests to take home.  Some may have sampled the honey with tea, others with a bowl of yogurt.  Whichever they chose, we hope they enjoyed it.  While our wedding jar may be long empty, we continue to savor the tradition  in the home we have made together. 

 

 {photo courtesy of Josh McCullock photography}