How Sweet it is – Honey

Honey feeds the honey bee colony in the winter. Bees eat honey for carbohydrates and pollen, vitamins and fat.

Worker bees metabolize honey to generate heat for the hive, so it must be present at all times. Bees can die of starvation during the winter without enough honey.

Honey is made from flower nectar. Honey bees will visit flowers as they bloom throughout the year. The nectar of each flower creates a different tasting honey. The color of the honey is also determined by the flower the bee visited.

Raw honey is honey that has not been processed in any way. This means it has not been heated, or micro filtered (removing pollen). And nothing has been added to raw honey. Almost all honey will crystallize as it ages, but is still safe to eat. When sealed in airtight containers, honey is one of the few foods known to have an eternal shelf life. There are reports of edible honey being found in several

thousand- year -old Egyptian tombs. Honey has been used throughout history because it was the only sweetener available.

Honey can be good for our skin, respiratory system, and GI tract. It has antiseptic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antifungal, antibacterial and prebiotic properties. Honey is a substance that is something to be appreciated and savored-a prized gift from nature.

Honey adds a unique flavor buzz and delicate floral sweetness to many dishes created in the kitchen. If you love this sweet liquid gold as much as I do, you will want to let it shine in your dishes and sweeten your kitchen life.

As we approach the holidays, this is a wonderful honey recipe that is guaranteed to bring life to any dish.

HOMEMADE HONEY BUTTER

1 cup unsalted butter/ softened and room temperature 1/3 cup of honey

3 Tablespoons Confectioners sugar 1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

In a large bowl using mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

Beat in the remaining ingredients on medium speed. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Cover tightly and store in refrigerator up to a week. Serve on breads, pancakes, cornbread, sweet potatoes, oatmeal and any other dish that can use a sweet touch.

LIFE IS THE FLOWER FOR WHICH LOVE IS THE HONEY……

Victor Hugo

BEE HAPPY KAREN JONES

Karen Jones is a backyard beekeeper with 10 hives on her farm outside of Dallas, Texas.