Robert 'Fred' Jones cuts the honeycomb from the frame. - Photos by Keisha Shakespeare
THEY MIGHT have celebrated National Honey Week in the U.S. February 13-19, but at the Lifestyle desk, we did not feel the buzz until a month later when the entire team decamped and headed for Crawle River, Clarendon, and Fred's (Robert Jones) farm.
We went and drew honey (for stinging tales from Crawle River, you'll just have to see next Tuesday's Lifestyle section). In the meantime, in today's Food, we leave you with information and some sweet recipes.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF HONEY
Honey has long been recognised as a natural remedy and has been used as a medicine for thousands of years. It has antiseptic properties and can be used as a remedy for ailments from sore throats to burns and cuts.
For a soothing drink for sore throats, mix honey with the juice of half a lemon, add boiling water and stir.
If you're feeling low, try a spoonful of honey as a pick-me-up. The fructose and glucose in honey are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.
Honey has heart health benefits studies suggest it improves the levels of antioxidants in the blood. To reap the benefits just add honey to a warm bowl of porridge, spread on a chunky slice of toast, or blend into a fruit smoothie; it couldn't be simpler.
With excellent antiseptic properties, honey provides a moist healing environment in which infection can rapidly clear, making it a good homeopathic dressing for use on burns and minor wounds.
HONEY IN COOKING
You can use honey in cooking instead of sugar. Because it is sweeter than sugar, you need to use less.
If you are experimenting with honey in a recipe, try replacing half the sugar with honey as the flavour can be very strong.
Honey is hygroscopic (meaning it attracts water) so it is good for baking cakes as it keeps them moister for longer.
Adding a tablespoon of honey to meat before cooking helps block free radicals (which attack the body's cells) and improves the taste and smell of the meat.
The honey bee is the only insect that produces food eaten by man.
WHAT GIVES HONEY ITS FLAVOUR?
Honey is produced all over the world, from the heat of the tropics to the crisp cold of Scandinavia, Canada and Siberia. The warm climate of equatorial countries allows honey to be produced for most of the year, while beekeepers in Finland have a short season of just two to three weeks each year. The distinct aroma, flavour and colour is determined by the type of flower from which the bee collects the nectar. Some honey closely mimics the characteristics of the herb or tree whose flower the bee has visited, such as orange blossom and lime blossom, or rosemary and thyme.
SIMPLY HONEY
A dozen simple, sweet ways with honey
1. Spread on piping hot toast.
2. Add to porridge.
3. Natural yoghurt is a healthy start, but can be turned into a real treat with a teaspoon of honey stirred in.
4. Keep your fruit intake up by making a smoothie, using whatever fruit you choose, some orange juice and a good dollop of honey should keep you going until lunchtime.
5. Fresh bread, sliced and buttered with a layer of beautiful set honey a simple sandwich that is delicious and quick anytime, especially if you're on the run.
6. For a tried and trusted drink to soothe your cold, put a good teaspoon of honey in a mug, add a slice of lemon with a clove or two, top up with very hot water and drink.
7. Toasted crumpets are sublime when combined with honey.
8. If you are making pancakes, use honey instead of syrup or sugar for a natural alternative.
9. Using honey in your tea or coffee instead of sugar is a good idea. Honey is sweeter than sugar so you need to use less, and it's lower in calories too.
10. For a sauce that's not a sauce, top ice cream with honey a scrumptious extra that's no effort.
11. To make a speedy pudding, slice up a banana and drizzle with honey.
12. When you need an instant boost to your energy level, a teaspoon of honey has a great effect tastes good too!
BAMMY AND HONEY
Soak bammy in milk, then bake in the oven until brown. Then drizzle honey on top.
Honey and Vanilla Milk Shake
1 pint milk
2 tbsp. clear honey
8 scoops vanilla ice cream
Method
Place milk, honey and half the ice-cream in a blender and blend until frothy.
Pour into all glasses and serve topped with a scoop of ice cream.
Hot and Fiery Chicken
6 tbsp. blended, clear honey
2 red peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp. Worcester sauce
2 tbsp. distilled vinegar
1 tbsp. sage, freshly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 skinless chicken breasts
1 sweet red pepper, cut into 8
8 button mushrooms
1 courgette (substitute cho cho or zucchini), cut into 1 cm (1/2") thick slices
1 red onion, cut into 8 thin wedges
8 oz rice
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°c, 350°F, gas mark 4.
2. Mix together the honey, chilli, Worcester sauce, and distilled vinegar. Add the sage and season with salt and pepper. Score the chicken breasts 3 times diagonally across, place in a non metallic, ovenproof dish and cover with the honey mixture. Leave to marinade for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile make 8 vegetable kebabs, threading one piece of pepper, 1 mushroom, 1 courgette and 1 onion wedge onto 8 small metal kebabs. Put the chicken in the oven and cook for 20-30 minutes, basting 2-3 times during cooking. The chicken is cooked when the juices run clear.
4. Cook the rice according to the pack instructions. Next, brush the griddle pan with a little more oil and cook the vegetable kebabs until tender and char-grilled, turning frequently. When cooked, remove the chicken from the oven transfer to a plate and keep warm. Pour the juices and remaining sauce into a small saucepan, reduce by half. Next drain the rice and rinse in boiling water.
5. To serve, divide the rice between four plates, place one chicken breast on top of the rice, place 2 kebab sticks crossed on top of the chicken. Pour the sauce over the kebabs and serve. Serves 4
