Honey

[chowmeow]

Due to a recent CH discussion on Total yogurt and honey, I've been inspired to start exploring different types of honey. However, I don't use it very frequently, so I'm looking for different ways to consume it. Besides drizzling it on yogurt, or adding it to tea, what do you do with honey? TIA for your answers.

[cooknKate]

I just bought some Zambezi african organic raw honey (now that was a mouthful)

I drizzle it on cereal, over oatmeal, on toast and even over my finger. I put it in yogurt and on bananas. It is by far the best tasting honey I have ever had.

[kimberlie]

We use raw honey. I don't think it really has much of a taste difference, but is supposed to be better for you. There is a commercial honey called Really Raw Honey, I think. You may have seen it. It is unheated and unfiltered, so it has little bee parts still in it. Not for me!

I just made some hot cocoa from scratch and used honey instead of sugar. It was very tasty.

[FelafelBoy]

Anyone try raw honey? I've heard it's healthier for you. Never tried it myself. I wonder if it has a stronger taste and can be used in the same way, as far as a one to one substitution for the pasteurized version.

[ebina49]

i love honey, too. i grew up on it with tea. however, i also love it on toast, oatmeal, swirled into white rice, and on pancakes. Sometimes, I just have it with plain biscuits (which is what my grandmother still uses it for primarily).

[MIKELOCK34]

My favorite honey for all uses is Tupelo honey. It must be the real thing from Florida though. Do not use any of the substitutes. Tupelo honey has a different chemical makeup than other types of honey. Real Tupelo honey will never become grainy as other honeys do when the sugar in them crystalizes. The tastes are a little different each year, but they can be wonderful in good years.

[bolivianita]

Honey on plain yogurt, on toast, on fried cheese, on ice cream, with sesame seeds, on banana and pb sandwiches, in smoothies, in dressing, on plain cereals...I love honey.

[amkirkland]

I drizzle a little on top of pureed veggie soups like winter squashes and carrot. the body of the soup, a touch of sweetness and a little salty crunch from some sel gris is bliss.

[BellaCalabrese]

Oooh, honey & tahini on toast or, better still, homebaked whole grain bread fresh out of the oven, yum! If you like halvah, you'll love this.

[foodie_girl]

Honey is a great way to sweeten up a dish or dessert if you don't want to use sugar. I use honey in marinating meats, making cakes with it, used it in bread baking, and even in lemonade.

[notmartha]

I brush honey on almost finished BBQ teriyaki chicken wings (marinate with soy, ginger, garlic and sugar). Have to get them out soon after brushing because it burns very easily.

[keencook1]

Greek honey of Hymettus is the best! Not too sweet, tastes like thyme and is quite dark. Wonderful on oatmeal, fresh bread, fresh fruit and yogurt.

[amyzan]

Spiced roasted nuts, but use a low oven because honey burns easily.

[Snackish]

I love acacia honey. It is very light and usually comes from China.

Cornbread or biscuits with honey and butter are one of life's great pleasures.

[Gin and It]

Acacia is my favorite too. I bought some Italian acacia honey online, I haven't been able to find it in a store.

[atheorist]

How about almond butter, banana and honey on whole grain bread for breakfast.
Sometimes honey beats maple syrup on whole wheat pancakes or waffles.
A fresh crusty roll with butter and honey is haiku that you eat.

[LilLibellule]

I'm a freak. I have 19 different types of honey (mostly from La Maison du Miel in Paris) and a whole shelf dedicated to them in my pantry.

I really like my peach and raspberry honeys from Italy. They're really great with oatmeal and cream of wheat, or biscuits.

I used creamed honey from Trader Joe's in my teas and oatmeal as well.

But mostly, I just like to dip my pinkie in them and sample!

[librarian]

I agree with getting a variety of honeys and trying them out. I wasn't a big honey fan growing up, I found the taste to be overpowering. Once I got out into the big wide world, I discovered honeys other than clover honey. My favourite has to be raspberry blossom honey with apple blossom or blueberry coming in a close second. I'm not a big fan of clover honey or buckwheat honey. I've even taken to eating honeycomb every once in a while.

I use honey as a sugar substitute. I put it in sauces, dressings and marinades. I'm partial to it in green tea (but never in black tea - I'm quirky). I bake with it. I also like it straight with warm cornbread. Ah, and I make a wicked honeybutter for my scones.

[HaagenDazs]

Use it in place of sugar in ANY recipe. It's as simple as that.

[Ruth Lafler]

It's not that simple. The different moisture content will mess up some recipes.

[amkirkland]

this is true, but sometimes those mess ups lead to the best recipes.

[bolivianita]

I think that when you add honey to a recipe you are supposed to decrease the moisture by 1/3. I also read somewhere that using honey in a recipe makes it more shelf stable. Haven't tried it though.

[amkirkland]

It completely depends on how much honey you use. Honey is 17 percent moisture. Assuming not all of that is accessible by other ingredients, I would reduce the water portion of a recipe by 10 to 15 percent of the amount of honey.

[welle]

I mostly use honey as a cold remedy in steamed milk: steam a glass of milk add 2 tsps. of honey. Yum. I'm a compulsory buyer of good interesting honeys - which I just forget to eat and it piles up in my pantry. I have this Scottish honey with Scotch - delicious. I guess you can make one yourself by adding a liquor of your choice into honey.

[annimal]

I'm getting to that point welle. My mom brought me some fancy schmancy french honeys and I have my own collection going. I need to pick up some good tupelo though, my list is growing smaller as I've stopped buying. I've got cranberry, acacia, lavender, and gennet (broom). Took us a while to figure out what that last one is.

I'll just take a spoonful of honey out of the jar from time to time, especially as an aid to a sore throat.

[Ruth Lafler]

Or the best ever cough medicine: honey, lemon juice, brandy and hot water (all ingredients to taste).

Honey doesn't go bad, so you'll use it up eventually.

[PseudoNerd]

Wouldn't the vitamin c be wasted? I'm pretty sure vitamin c is photo- and heat-sensitive

[Ruth Lafler]

Vitamin C is heat sensitive, but I don't know to what degree. Actually, it's the acid that helps thin some of the secretions.

[PseudoNerd]

Ooh, good to know!

[pescatarian]

Honey is a good idea in numerous places where one is looking for a sweet balance - sweet and spicy roasted nuts, salad dressings, dips, it's good as a counter balance to extra salty cheese too - a little bit of blue cheese on a crisp/cracker/toasted bread, etc. drizzled with honey - yum!

[Candy]

Make Baklava. I made it this fall and at Christmasa with Sourwood Honey. People thought that was the best thing they ever put in their mouths. Sourwood is really special and it really was stellar in a Baklava made with it and toasted pecans.

[Sra. Swanky]

I sometimes add honey to cakes for some extra moistness.
Also, I combine honey, orange juice, and soy sauce (or teriaki if you have it) for a really good marinade for chicken - I let it sit in the fridge from 30 min to 2 hours, and then I grill it up - sweet and tangy. It also works well with shrimp and salmon too.

[fauchon]

Curry and/or mustard added to the honey/OJ/soy sauce/teryaki combo is good, too. I often mix up a batch & keep it in the fridge for a quick marinade.

[Deenso]

I don't do much with it, but I like to toast some challah, butter it lightly and drizzle it with honey. Honey works nicely with peanut butter on toast, too.