Are you looking for an eco-friendly, reusable and super-practical way of storing your food? Ok! Goodbye traditional cling film. Hello bee wrap!
To start with, you'll need to choose a lightweight cotton fabric. Please don't use synthetics, as they are far too heavy for a good result. The fabric should be clean and well ironed first. As for the size, it's up to you depending on how you want to use it. For example, to cover a square dish, place your fabric upside down on the table, place the dish on it and trace the outline. Then cut around this outline, taking care to leave a few extra centimeters. It's best to use serrated scissors, to prevent the fabric from fraying and to achieve a pretty look.
On your worktop/ironing board, place a sheet of baking paper and then your fabric on top. The paper should be larger than the fabric to avoid the wax staining your work surface. Sprinkle your beeswax (beads or grated) all over the fabric. Cover with another sheet of baking paper. Then run the heated iron (the temperature should not be too high) over the paper, starting from the centre and pushing the wax outwards. Iron until the fabric is completely visible through the paper.
Allow to dry for 2 minutes before removing the baking paper. You now have your beautiful bee wrap, perfect for covering containers, fruit or vegetables. Please note that for food safety reasons the bee wrap should not come into direct contact with meat or fish, especially if they are raw. These foods can be placed in a bowl and covered with the bee wrap, avoiding contact with the food. Make sure you allow your food to cool before wrapping, otherwise the beeswax may melt.
Cleaning the bee wrap
You can maintain your bee wrap by regularly cleaning it with cold soapy water and gently rubbing it. In the long term, you can also add a little wax to the bee wrap and repeat the ironing process.
Bees and passion
Anita and Joël Larché live on their farm in Bras d'Eau, surrounded by animals of all kinds... Here, in this secluded spot, the couple and their children live in harmony with nature. Anita, a former teacher, has made a 360° turn to join her husband in a much rougher world, that of bee-keeping. For more than 25 years, she has looked after hundreds of hives and large colonies of bees, but that's not all. She also processes all the products of the hive to make honey, soap, propolis, beeswax... With her herd of dogs, her chickens, her ducks, her bees... Anita doesn't count the hours she works. For the Larché family, it's a story of passion that is written every day and that the family intends to perpetuate.
* You can buy beeswax online, in specialist shops or from Anita Larché. The beekeeper not only sells beeswax, but also gives advice on how to use it. What's more, delivery is guaranteed, depending on the region. Contact her on 5775 5360.