Buying This Food
Look for: Tightly sealed jars of honey. All honeys are natural products. They may be dark
or light (depending on the plant from which the bees drew their nectar). Raw, unprocessed
honey is thick and cloudy. Commercial honey is clear because it has been filtered. It pours
more easily than raw honey because it has been heated to make it less viscous as well as to
destroy potentially harmful bacteria and yeasts that might spoil the honey by turning its
sugars into alcohol and other undesirable products.
The following table lists some of the plants most
commonly used to make honey in the United States.
Plant Where it grows Color of honey Flavor of honey
Alfalfa Utah, Nevada, White or light amber Mild
Idaho, Oregon
Basswood Alabama, Texas White Strong, sharp
Clover Throughout U.S. White to amber Mild
Orange blossom Arizona, California, Light amber Orangey
Florida, Texas
Sage California White Mild
Tulip poplar Southern New Dark amber Medium
England, Midwest
Tupelo tree Florida, Georgia White, light amber MildSource: The National Honey BoardStoring This Food
Store opened jars of honey in the refrigerator, tightly closed to keep the honey from absorbing
moisture or picking up microorganisms from the air. Ordinarily, bacteria do not proliferate
in honey, which is an acid solution. However, if the honey absorbs extra water or if its sugars
precipitate out of solution and crystallize, the sugar/water ratio that makes honey acid will
be upset and the honey will become more hospitable to microorganisms. Refrigeration offers
some protection because it chills the honey and slows the growth of bacteria or mold.
Preparing This Food
To measure honey easily, coat your measuring spoon or cup with vegetable oil: the honey
will slide right out of the measure. To combine honey smoothly with dry ingredients, warm
it with the liquids in the recipe first. And remember to reduce the liquid in a recipe when you
substitute honey for sugar. For precise amounts, check the individual recipe.
Honey