Local Honey is Sweet

This summer, our family vacation included a stop in Savannah, Georgia. While there, we wandered into a honey store. The store featured a honey tasting bar with close to a dozen different kinds of honey. I could have brought home one of each, but my wallet (and husband) kept me in check.

Until that moment, I never appreciated the different notes present in honey. Each had its own, unique flavor. Up to that point, I was always satisfied using the generic honey I grabbed from the grocery store. Most of my honey use was for adding small amounts into recipes, never featuring it as a star ingredient.

I am a big advocate of supporting small local producers, so my next logical step was to hit the Art’s Produce. They sell honey from Femme Osage Apiary, produced in Foristell. It is a Missouri wild flower honey with characteristics unmatched by mass produced honey.

Armed with honey, I needed to figure out how to use it beyond stirring it into my yogurt in the morning.

I visited the National Honey Board website and found more than one hundred recipes to use the sweet liquid. One recipe I found was for a Honey Basil Sandwich Spread. It added flavor to a turkey wrap unmatched by regular mayo. The following recipe is almost identical to the original. Besides using on sandwiches, this is a great stand in dipping sauce for chicken nuggets.

Pour the Honey Basil Sandwich Spread over a block of cream cheese and serve with

The honey coated walnut recipe can be adapted to make sweet coated walnuts or spicy walnuts by substituting cinnamon for the cayenne. They make a tasty snack or a great addition to summer salads.

The barbeque sauce recipe is for a thinner style sauce. Simmering the sauce blends the flavors. Adding unheated honey at the end of cooking adds a sweet dimension and tempers the heat of the habaneros. You can use fewer peppers to suit your taste. Jalapenos are an acceptable substitute for habaneros.

Honey Basil Spread (adapted from the National Honey Board website)

¼ cup honey

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup basil leaves

1 teaspoon spicy mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Chill at least one hour before serving.

Honey Coated Walnuts

Makes about 1 cup

1 cup walnut raw walnut pieces

2 tablespoons honey

1/3 cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (substitute 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon if desired)

½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with foil.

In a small bowl, combine walnuts and honey. In another small bowl, mix together sugar, cayenne and salt. Combine honey with the sugar mixture and stir to coat the walnuts.

Pour the walnuts onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir the walnuts. Bake an additional 6 minutes.

While the walnuts are baking, generously rub a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper with butter.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool walnuts completely on a prepared paper.

Honey Habanero Barbeque Sauce

Makes 2 ½ cups

1 cup ketchup

1 cup honey plus ¼ cup honey

1/8 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves minced garlic

4 habanero peppers, seeded and minced

Combine all ingredients except the additional ¼ cup honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Once the mixture begins boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 30 minutes, remove the pan from the stove and add the remaining ¼ cup honey.  Stir to combine.

Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for later use.