Honey - just the thought of the sweet, golden liquid makes my mouth water. It's been around forever and has some super interesting properties that make it one of the most unique foods on the planet. It can be used in countless ways, even in health and medicine applications, and it just wouldn't be right if we didn't stop and consider it for a few minutes. So what's so special about honey?
Honey is essentially the condensed nectar of flower blossoms. Nectar is a sugary liquid secreted by flower blossoms to attract pollinating insects such as honey bees. "Worker bees" collect nectar and pollen so they can make stores of honey for the winter. These bees suck up nectar from the inside of flowers, often travelling in a 4 to 5 mile radius and visiting more than 100 flowers on one trip. Once full, they return to the hive and pass the nectar to "house bees" who chew it and chemically alter it's makeup. They then spread it out over the hive to dry it out. This process of flapping their wings and increasing the honey's surface exposure dries the nectar out from 70% water to less than 20%! Once the nectar settles into the comb, they cap the cells with beeswax for long term storage. Each bee lives about 6 weeks and can produce just 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey. But that's more than enough for them and so the part we take does them no harm.
And I am glad we take it! It's delicious! Honey gets its sweetness from fructose and glucose, and has about the same relative sweetness as table sugar. It is the one food that does not spoil! Most microorganisms cannot grow in honey, so sealed honey does not spoil, even after thousands of years. In jars, fresh honey should appear as a pure, consistent fluid, and should not set in layers.
There are many varieties of honey. The color, taste, smell, and texture will vary greatly among them. The type of flower that the bee frequents is the distinguishing factor in the final product. Clover honey is different from lavender honey. Orange blossom honey is not the same as sage honey. You get the idea.
In the United States, honey is graded voluntarily based upon USDA standards. The USDA offers inspection and grading based upon factors including water content, flavor and aroma, absence of defects, and clarity. Honey is also classified by color.
High-quality honey can be identified by fragrance, taste, and consistency. Great honey should flow in a straight stream off your utensil and should not break into drops. After dropping, the honey should form a bead. It should be kept in a cool location out of direct sunlight. Sometimes, honey can crystallize into a cream-colored solid. If your honey begins to crystallize, it is not bad. Simply place the jar in warm water and remix the honey.
"So, how do I cook with it?" you ask? Easy! There are a lot of recipes that call for honey as an ingredient or it can even be the star of the show! I've shared two recipes with you below that I think are just delightful. They are very easy to make, totally delicious and will have you singing the praises for honey right along with me. They are both sweet and delicious and make an excellent dish to whip up on a busy weeknight or to impress your friends or family on the weekend. Give them a try and fall in love with honey!
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