A taste of honey: how sweet it is

Some days it’s great to be a food writer.

A case in point:  the National Honey Board invited me to a luscious event, where I tasted the sweetness of life and learned about one of my favorite topics.

Team Honey pulled out all the stops, bringing a beekeeper, a packer and the lovely Marie Simmons, author of A Taste of Honey, which was a gift for the attendees.

My friend Kim Essex of Ketchum Public Relations moderated a panel, where I learned a thing or two about honey.

I tasted fabulous ways to enjoy honey, like flatbread with melted manchego, roscmary and honey, and goat cheese spread with lemon and honey, which I’m sharing with you here.

But first a few sweet facts

• The United States Department of Agriculture estimates that 80% of crop pollination is accomplished by bees. In fact, almonds are entirely dependent on pollination. No bees, no almonds. And no honey for that matter.
• The top honey-producing states are North and South Dakota and Montana.
• Bees stroke their wings 11,400 per minute, making their distinctive buzz. A beekeeper friend told me that the wings can keep the hive temperature at 85 degrees even in winter, which may account for the honey success of the cold states.
• Massive losses of bees, much more than expected losses, has captured the attention of the agriculture community. Colony collapse disorder has provoked global concern about the health of bees and their hives.
• The USDA’s Agriculture Research Service is investigating possible causes, including pathogens, parasites, management stressors and environment stressor. They encourage people to refrain from spraying pesticides during midday hours when honey bees may be out foraging, and to plant pollinator-friendly plants.

With a little knowledge in our heads about how honey gets from hive to table, we moved to the delicious portion of the evening where Marie guided us through a tasting and I had my first taste of avocado honey.  With chocolate.  Enough said.

Goat cheese spread with lemon and honey

1 (8-ounce) log fresh goat cheese

4 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons plain low-fat Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small clove garlic, grated

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (use Meyer lemon if available)

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, oregano, sage, lavender, or other herb that matches the herb in the honey (optional)

1. Place the goat cheese in the bowl of a food processor and add 2 tablespoons of the honey, the yogurt, olive oil, garlic, ½ teaspoon of the lemon zest, teaspoon of the black pepper, and the salt. Pulse until creamy and well blended. Transfer to a small, shallow serving bowl and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

2. Sprinkle the spread with the remaining ½ teaspoon of lemon zest and teaspoon of black pepper. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of honey and sprinkle with the fresh herb.

3. Serve with crackers or crostini as a nibble with drinks or a cup of tea. From A Taste of Honey by Marie Simmons/ Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.

In other news…

P.S., whenever I hear the phrase “a taste of honey,” I think of my parents’ stereo belting out the LP Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass Whipped Cream and Other Delights, a classic from 1965.  It’s always worth a listen.

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