Hey, honey

WHEN driving to Valencia it’s hard to ignore the roadside stands displaying large and small bottles of amber-coloured honey. Head to the Debe market and there is always a vendor selling honey from Rio Claro.

I’ve also had intensely dark honey from Mayaro, and I also enjoy medium amber-coloured wildflower honey from Santa Cruz, I am a fan of honey.

Honey takes on the flavour of the nectar that the bees feed on. For example, when the bees feed on the nectar of our pine and teak forests, the whitish honey takes on a more earthy and musky flavour, whereas wildflower honey is abundant with flowery and citrus notes.

Bees that feed on the nectar of pepper flowers will produce honey with a very slight peppery undertone. When the rainy season rolls around, and the rains have beaten the flowers off the shrubs and trees, the bees head to the forests and feed on the sap from the trees, this honey is intensely sweet.

The next time you are buying honey, ask the questions, where is the apiary? What is the predominant food in that area for the bees? Taste the honey and discover the underlying flavour profiles.

Honey has anti-bacterial qualities and provides small amounts of vitamin B and minerals. it’s a great source of quick energy and adds flavour and even improves the shelf life of baked goods.

Our locally-produced honey continuously wins international acclaim and this thick amber "nectar of the gods" adds delight to pancakes, a piece of buttered toast, sweetens a cup of tea, coffee and a bowl of yoghurt. It even soothes a sore or ticklish throat when paired with some freshly-squeezed lime juice. And it’s just as wonderful when we incorporate it into our cooking and baking.

It can easily be substituted for sugar when baking and cooking in the ratio of one part honey to every one-and-one-quarter part sugar. You’ll need to decrease your liquid intake if you are using honey in place of sugar, as there is some water in honey. You will find that breads and cakes sweetened with honey tend to stay moister than those made with sugar, as honey possesses a water-attracting property. Ever noticed that your honey bottle is always slightly damp on the outside?

Try using honey the next time you’re making a marinade, barbecue sauce, or glazing vegetables. Try them in your muffins and quick breads and enjoy the difference your honey can make!

Honey wheat cakes

½ cup butter

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup honey

2 eggs

½ cup orange juice

1 tsp grated lime zest

½ cup chopped almonds or pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F

Line a cupcake or muffin tin with paper cases.

Sift together all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

With an electric beater beat butter until fluffy, add honey and continue beating until creamy.

Add eggs one at a time beating well between additions.

Add dry ingredients alternately with orange juice in three additions beginning and ending with the flour.

Spoon batter into muffin cups.

Sprinkle with nuts

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until risen and golden.

Makes 12

Lamb and vegetable kebabs in a minted honey marinade

2 lbs boneless lamb leg cut into 1½-inch cubes

1 large red bell pepper

2 onions

2 hot banana peppers cut into one-inch pieces

For the marinade

½ cup honey

1 cup fresh mint leaves

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tbs Dijon mustard

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the lamb and place in a blender cup.

Process until pureed.

Cut vegetables into one-inch chunks

Place vegetables with lamb into a glass bowl.

Pour on marinade and rub into lamb and vegetables

Cover and refrigerate, let marinate for about 2 hours.

Thread vegetables onto metal skewers alternately with lamb pieces.

Place on a greased baking tray.

Preheat broiler and broil for about 4 minutes per side until desired doneness is reached.

Makes 6 to 8 skewers

Honey-glazed plantains

1 large ripe but firm plantain

¼ cup honey

2 tbs lime juice

½ tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400F

Grease an ovenproof baking dish.

Peel plantain and slice into 4-inch lengths by ¼-inch thick slices.

Combine all other ingredients and brush onto plantains.

Bake for 10 minutes, turn and brush with honey mixture and bake for another 8 minutes.

Serves 4

Honey-glazed carrots

2 carrots cut into strips 3 inches by ¼-inches

1 tbs honey

1 tbs butter

2 tbs lemon juice

salt to taste

Steam carrots in a small amount of water about 6 minutes.

Drain water but leave about ½-inch of liquid in your pan.

Return to stove and boil until bubbly, add butter and honey and cook until thick and bubbly.

Return carrots to the pot and toss.

Serves 4