Laryngitis in Russia

This morning at the breakfast table my host father realized that something was wrong when I was not answering his questions. I was beginning to lose my voice the night before and by morning it was gone. He pointed to his throat and said something along the lines of I know what will help you. He told me what it was but with my little Russian I did not understand and just kept saying yes and okay in Russian of course. I figured he was going to give me some cough drops. Silly me, I forgot I was not in the United States and the standard treatment for a sore throat here is honey. Well not just honey from a jar…… Once I said yes my host father got up from the table and went into the other room, okay nothing weird there until he came back with a huge vacuum cleaner box. My first thought was it was a vapor machine and I was going to get my sinus steamed and cleaned. Then I realized that it was a vacuum cleaner box and was puzzled until he opened it and I looked inside. I was looking at what I thought was a honey comb bee hive and my guess was verified when I looked at my host father and he started making buzzing noises. I thought oh my goodness what did I just get myself into (not the first time I have done this to myself on the trip). I just smiled and said da (yes) while at the same time trying to figure out what in the world I was to do with it and hoping that I was not suppose to eat it! (See picture of honeycomb)
Looking back now he must have seen the puzzled look on my face so he pulled it out of the box and began cutting off a huge chunk. He then cut it into smaller squares and I could see the honey dripping out from the comb part of it. Funny thing is I was still waiting for the bees to start coming out, I had no idea what was going on. He pointed to the square and then his mouth and then me. I thought oh well here goes nothing and picked up a piece and put it in my mouth. It had the consistency of chewing tobacco (not that I have ever chewed tobacco but if I did I have a feeling that is what it would feel like) and tasted awesome because of all the honey. After chewing it for awhile and sucking all of the honey out I was unsure of what to do so I thought about it while I kept stuffing more in my mouth on the command of my host father. (He meant well of course). When I could no longer fit anymore in I decided to swallow the comb part, low and behold as soon as I did my host father got up went to the cabinet and pulled out a plastic container and spit his into it and pointed to me to do the same. A little too late I had already swallowed it. Oh well a sweet lesson learned!!!