chunk honey cut from frame

[RJC]

A place I supply wants to offer small (2cm sq ish) pieces of cut comb with their cheese and biscuits. I've said potentially a bit messy, and will need to store frame upright etc. An alternative might be to freeze the whole frame, and then cut it up into portion sizes whilst frozen; store in the freezer as portions, and then defrost as needed (would need to be a bit in advance of course). Would this work?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Cut the frame into portions then freeze. You won’t cut a frozen frame without making a mess.

 

[RJC]

Cut the frame into portions then freeze. You won’t cut a frozen frame without making a mess.

Thanks; why would a frozen frame make (more) mess - too hard to cut; wax will shatter, or on,ly frozen to a'soft set' consistency?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks; why would a frozen frame make (more) mess - too hard to cut; wax will shatter, or on,ly frozen to a'soft set' consistency?

First two. Fresh comb is much easier to cut. Also to avoid the messy bit you mention you should drain the comb ( like you do for showing comb) so that the portion you package isn’t dripping with surplus honey

 

[Roger.Wilco]

A photo from the breakfast counter at a hotel in Türkiye late last year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

A photo from the breakfast counter at a hotel in Türkiye late last year.

View attachment 39885

That’s the easiest way. Sell the restaurant a frame and let the sous chef cut it up.

 

[ericbeaumont]

why would a frozen frame make (more) mess - too hard to cut; wax will shatter, or on,ly frozen to a'soft set' consistency?

A hot wire may work best, though I can't think of a way to achieve that.

Wax is brittle when frozen so may shatter, but freezing and cutting sounds as if it might make a neater job than in Roger's photo above, of the authentically messy hotel honey.

Give freezing and cutting a go (hot knife, cold knife) and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Erichalfbee]

A hot wire may work best, though I can't think of a way to achieve that.

The same way you wire frames?

 

[Newbeeneil]

Thanks; why would a frozen frame make (more) mess - too hard to cut; wax will shatter, or on,ly frozen to a'soft set' consistency?

You wouldn’t cut a frozen frame. Defrost, cut it up and refreeze.

The same way you wire frames?

The trouble with a hot wire is thst unless you pull the surfaces apart while using it they fuse togther again.

 

[Newbeeneil]

.

 

[ericbeaumont]

The same way you wire frames?

Yes, worth a go: connect a wired frame and hold the frame to apply downward wire pressure on the comb.

 

[RJC]

thanks everyone; really helpful

 

[Erichalfbee]

thanks everyone; really helpful

Let us know how you do it in the end.

 

[RJC]

Well, they had a couple of frames, which they portioned up in advance. Apparently they sold really well, with cheese and biscuits, and wine. However, they have decided not to do it any more as the residual wax on the plates smeared over the wine glasses when washed up. An unforeseen issue (by me).

 

[Colonial]

I stayed in a pub/hotel a few years ago and they had an entire frame of comb (still in the frame) mounted on a stainless drip tray which was set at an angle with a drain hole feeding a container. Guests could help themselves to as much comb as they wanted and the drips were funnelled into the container. Ingenious and very pleasant!