Honey is a food that never goes off so there is no waste in stockpiling

By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jun 2020, 09:00 BST
The philosopher Pliny wrote: “Honey comes out of the air....At early dawn the leaves of trees are found bedewed with honey....Whether this is the perspiration of the sky or a sort of saliva of the stars, or the moisture of the air purging itself, nevertheless it brings with it the great pleasure of its heavenly nature. It is always of the best quality when it is stored in the best flowers.”The philosopher Pliny wrote: “Honey comes out of the air....At early dawn the leaves of trees are found bedewed with honey....Whether this is the perspiration of the sky or a sort of saliva of the stars, or the moisture of the air purging itself, nevertheless it brings with it the great pleasure of its heavenly nature. It is always of the best quality when it is stored in the best flowers.”
The philosopher Pliny wrote: “Honey comes out of the air....At early dawn the leaves of trees are found bedewed with honey....Whether this is the perspiration of the sky or a sort of saliva of the stars, or the moisture of the air purging itself, nevertheless it brings with it the great pleasure of its heavenly nature. It is always of the best quality when it is stored in the best flowers.”
If I’ve learned anything from the lockdown situation it’s been to take stock of all the food products that have been accumulated in my cupboards.

And I’ve tacitly accepted I may have an obsession with honey. This week I discovered a few jars with only a bit in them. Each one had a different flavour profile and told a story about the landscape and flora of the area it came from.

I’ve added a honey cake recipe that’s perfect to use up any rogue jars. It tastes different every time dependent on the variety. It’s accompanied by some honey grilled nectarines and honey prosecco jelly. The philosopher Pliny wrote: “Honey comes out of the air….At early dawn the leaves of trees are found bedewed with honey….Whether this is the perspiration of the sky or a sort of saliva of the stars, or the moisture of the air purging itself, nevertheless it brings with it the great pleasure of its heavenly nature. It is always of the best quality when it is stored in the best flowers.”

While this can be a beautiful thing there’s a flip side. A beekeeper told me about an incident in America when the honey from a particular hive was producing a bright blue honey. They couldn’t understand it but eventually discovered that the bees had been feeding at a local M and M factory and had been overdoing the dye used in the production of these much less impressive sweet treats.

Honey is a food that never goes off so thankfully there is no waste in stockpiling it. It’s one of the most versatile ingredients and can be used in savoury and sweet recipes alike. The hedgerows are now starting to fill with lacy, saucer like elderflowers. To capture their essence you can submerge them in honey and have that early summer scent throughout the year. Wash a couple of heads, pat them dry on kitchen paper and place in a jar. Gently warm some honey – only to blood temperature and pour over the flowers. Seal and use for cakes or drizzled over a warm scone or buttered wheaten.

Radishes are coming into season now and their peppery crunchiness is contrasted with sweet honey. Cut in half, toss in a little Broighter gold rapeseed oil, season with salt and roast in a 200oc for 10 minutes. Add a swirl of honey and roast for a few more minutes. Serve with soft cheese or parma ham for simple but delicious snack. A salty feta also benefits from a lick of honey. Place a whole feta in a buttered baking dish, drizzle honey over the top. Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme and sprinkle over some cracked black pepper. Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes and serve with crusty bread and raw radishes and cucumber to dip.

Honey and duck go beautifully together and my other recipe is for crisp duck breasts glazed with honey and served in a salad with pickled rhubarb. The rhubarb cuts through the rich sweetness of the dish and is the perfect dish for an al fresco lunch.

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