Judgment day at the Sydney Easter show - where good honey 'smacks you in the face'

From density to clarity, there are many factors that determine a winner at the national honey competition. But a good specimen is evident the moment you open the jarGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailIt's the morning of the national honey competition, and there's an air of quiet industry in a sunlit corner of the Sydney Showground arts and crafts pavilion.As one of 14 honey judges, I've been in a state of anticipation for months and have arrived for duty in peak sensory evaluation mode. I haven't used any strong-smelling lotions or perfume, and, by all rights, I should wipe off my lipstick. I don't wear bee-shaped earrings or cufflinks but others do, and every year the chief judge, Bruce White, wears a bee-themed tie. Today, it's a bright blue honeycomb number. Continue reading...