Honey Tips
Health Benefits
Research shows that unlike most other sweeteners, honey contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antiocidants.
Honey is a rich source of carbohydrates and provides a quick source of energy.
The unique composition of honey makes it an effective antimicrobial agent, useful for treating minor burns and scrapes, and for aiding the treatment of sore throats and other bacterial infections.
Color, Flavor & Form
The blossoms visited by the honey bee will determine the taste and color of the honey. Colors will vary from almost colorless to dark amber and varies from delectably mild to richly bold. Generally the lighter colored honey is milder in taste than the dark-colored honey.
Honey comes in a variety of forms and textures including liquid, cream (whipped), chunk and comb. Liquid honey is extracted from the comb in the hive by centrifugal force, gravity, staining or other means and is free of any crystals or wax. Cream honey is finely crystallized so that it remains creamy and spreadable. Comb honey is honey that comes as it was produced - in the honey bees' wax comb.
Storing Honey
Honey should be stored at room temperature. Storing honey in too cool a place will accelerate the honey's crystallization. Crystallization is the natural process in which liquid in honey becomes solid.
If by chance your honey does crystallize, place the jar in warm water and stir until the crystals dissolve. Honey can also be placed in a microwave-safe container with the lid off and microwave it, stirring every 30 seconds, until the crystals dissolve. Be careful not to boil or scorch the honey.
Cooking with Honey
When substituting honey for granulated sugar in recipes, begin by replacing half of the sugar with honey. Experimenting with recipes should allow you to replace all the sugar with honey but for best results we recommend using recipes developed for honey. When substituting honey for sugar in baked goods:
- Reduce the amount of liquid by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used.
- Add about 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.
- Reduce oven temperature by 25° to prevent overbrowning.
- For easy measuring, spray measuring cup or spoon with cooking spray before adding honey.
- A 12-ounce jar of honey equals a standard measuring cup.
Uses for Beeswax
- Ideal in the kitchen to seal and cure gourmet food.
- Great for polishing furniture.
- Excellent for the making candles.
- Applied to handsaws for a smoother cut.
- Used in manufacturing Cosmetics.
- Lubricating and rust proofing tools.
- Apply to nails, screws, doors and windows for smoother action
