SURVIVAL OF THE SWEETEST

FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY, THE FAMILY-RUN HONEY BUSINESS L.L. LANIER AND SON'S HAS KEPT BEES, WHICH DERIVE THIS PRIZED DELICACY FROM FLORIDA'S TUPELO TREES

- ALANA AL-HATLANI

THE SMALL WHITE BLOSSOMS of the tupelo trees blow in the breeze along the Chipola River, a tributary of the Apalachicola in the swamps of Northwest Florida. This river valley (not Elvis' hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi) is the hub for production of the rare honey, the sweetness of which you might recall from a Van Morrison song.

Tupelo honey has a reputation that precedes it. Known to sell for more than $13 per pound, it has graced the shelves of Neiman Marcus and even inspired the film Ulee's Gold, starring Peter Fonda as a beekeeper in the region. This isn't your ordinary honey-it is lauded around the world for its buttery richness and mild floral taste, which some say has hints of cinnamon and citrus. Pale gold with a greenish tinge, it has a special chemistry that prevents it from crystallizing, which is one way you can tell whether it is genuine.

In Wewahitchka, Florida, a small town of about 2,000 people that borders the Chipola River, the Lanier family has been harvesting tupelo honey for 125 years. The business is now in the hands of the fifth generation, Ben Lanier and his wife, Glynnis, who served as consultants on the movie and lent their land to Hollywood for filming. Their son, Heath, is training to take over soon, but this is a fickle business. From the strength of the beehives to the weather, which oscillates between too wet and too dry, the harvest fluctuates. "You're at the mercy of everything," says Glynnis. "And then you don't get another chance for 365 days," adds Ben.