Cooking with Honey

Every year, in September the nation celebrates National Honey Month. The event, created by the National Honey Board nearly 30 years ago in 1989 honors honey producers and beekeepers throughout the land. September marks the end of the honey collection season as bees make their hives ready for winter. Bees begin making honey, which is their food source by visiting flowers. As bees flit from one flower to the next, the nectar adheres to their legs. So the bee's knees are where all the good sweet stuff is gathered. What makes honey such a great store cupboard staple is that it is totally versatile. As well as being perfect spread straight from the jar it can also be used in baking and cooking. It pairs really well with a lot of different flavors and in particular orange, lime, sriracha and all number of herbs and spices. It makes baked goods moist and dense, adds sweetness to soups and salads, texture to sauces and depth of flavor to meat, poultry, seafood, and veggies. National Honey Month in September is the perfect opportunity to experiment with every cook's best friend. From roasting to grilling, honey is ideal for just about any method of cooking. In fact, it really is the bee's knees!