A Taste of Honey

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

There is probably no other food that can boast the romance and history of
honey. From the first light of civilization, this golden sweet liquid has
been held in high regard by man as a food, medicine, trading commodity, and
as a social and spiritual force.
It is hard to imagine the work that goes into its production. The worker
bee of a hive must literally work herself to death during her six-week life
span. It takes 556 worker bees flying one and one-third the distance around
the world, to produce one ounce of honey! And, the honeybee is essential
because of her ability to pollinate crops. The value of this service to
farmers outweighs the dollar value of the entire honey production.
Most of us are familiar with honey in its liquid state, clear and
shimmering. But it can be found in other forms too. Look for these:
Liquid Honey - is extracted from the comb and strained. Freshly extracted
honey may crystallize within a few weeks. When heat-treated to remain
liquid, it should keep for several months at room temperature, and is best
kept tightly covered.
Creamed Honey - is made by seeding liquid honey with finely granulated
honey and storing it under controlled conditions until completely
granulated. Since it has a smooth, fine texture and spreads easily, it is
becoming increasingly popular.
Comb Honey - is natural honey sealed in wax that is made by the bees in the
hive. It may be sold in sections in wooden frames or it may be cut in
sections and each piece wrapped separately.
Chunk Honey - is labeled as such. It is sold in a container and consists of
pieces of comb honey as well as liquid.
Pasteurized Honey - may be either liquid or creamed honey that has been
heated or "pasteurized" to destroy the yeasts that might cause the honey to
ferment. Pasteurization does not affect the quality of the honey and it
will keep almost indefinitely. It is labeled "pasteurized".
Honey is sold in various size containers from 8 ounces to 8 pounds. It is a
more economical buy in large containers.
Color and Flavor: Honey varies in color, flavor and aroma depending on the
kind of flowers from which the bees have gathered the nectar. As a rule,
the lighter the honey, the milder the flavor. Clover honey is white and
mild, while buckwheat honey is dark and strong. Honey may be a blend of
several flavors. The color classes are: white, golden, amber and dark. The
color is stated on the label.
Storing: Honey is best stored at room temperature in a dry place. High
temperatures may cause honey to darken. Creamed honey will change in
texture when stored in a hot room and in this case is best refrigerated.
Honey when well sealed may be stored almost indefinitely in the freezer
without any changes occuring in flavor or texture.
Use in Cooking and Baking: Honey may be used in place of sugar in many
recipes but the amount of liquid must be reduced. One cup of honey may
replace one cup of sugar but the liquid should be cut by one quarter. In a
plain cake recipe, honey may be substituted for one half the sugar. Some
baked foods made with honey may brown more quickly than those made with
sugar and the oven temperature should be slightly lowered.
Darker honeys give a distinctive flavor to muffins, breads and bars.
To liquify honey, place container over warm water.
A cup of honey weighs 12 ounces.
A pound of honey measures 1 1/3 cups.
Here are a few suggestions in the use of honey:
Honey Cinnamon Butter: Cream 1/4 cup butter and blend in 1/4 cup honey and
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Spread on hot toast.
Honey Butter Sauce: Heat until blended, 3/4 cup honey and 3 tablespoons
butter. Cool and add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Serve
with pancakes or waffles.
Honey Nut Sauce: Dissolve 1 tablespoon of instant coffee in 2 tablespoons
boiling water. Combine with 1 cup liquid honey and 1/4 cup toasted almonds.
Serve over ice cream.
Recipe by: The Canadiana Cookbook/Mme Jehane Benoit/1970 Posted to TNT -
Prodigy's Recipe Exchange Newsletter  by Bill & Leilani Devries
<devriesb@cyberbeach.net> on Aug 27, 1997

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