I wanted to peek behind the door of Csokonai utca 8 for a while. This Art Nouveau apartment house from the early 1900s was designed by Gyula Fodor.

Researching the history of this house gave me a glimpse into the history of beekeeping in Hungary. In 1938, Csokonai utca 8 found new owners – the National Hungarian Beekeeping Association (OMME – Országos Magyar Méhészeti Egyesület), a champion of beekeepers since 1879. Back then, it stood for 9,000 members and 100 local associations.

This building became a hub for beekeeping activities. The association offered beekeeping classes and even cooking courses that highlighted the use of honey. Today, OMEE is still around, though they’ve moved to the 9th district. They represent the interests of about 15,000 beekeepers in Hungary.

If you love honey and live in Europe, it is highly probable that you have already enjoyed Hungarian honey. Indeed, Hungary is the largest honey exporter within the EU, shipping nearly 20,000 tonnes to other member countries each year.