The Honey Shopper's Guide
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Clover and alfalfa honeys are the mild, slightly grassy-tasting varieties most people recognize. They're versatile and widely available. |
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Acacia honey is less sweet than it is light, making it wonderful in teas. Try Baudat's from chefshop.com. |
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Orange blossom honey teases the tongue with the aroma of the blooms (though not the fruit) and lends a slightly spicy sweetness to waffles or vinaigrettes. We like Marshall's Farm, marshallshoney.com. |
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The smooth caramel taste of Tupelo honey from the Savannah Bee Company (savannahbee.com) or creamy lavender honey like Huegel's from Provence (chefshop.com) is wonderful smeared on bread and muffins. |
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Even the honeycomb, often overlooked and entirely edible, adds texture atop crackers or when served with a pungent cheese like Stilton. Get a good honeycomb from hoosierhoneyintl.com. |
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Chestnut and buckwheat honeys are dark, bitter and often intimidating on their own, but their woodsy, molasses-y flavor is an excellent addition to barbecue sauces. Find chestnut honey at austrianpumpkinoil.com and buckwheat honey at dutchgoldhoney.com. |
Some may think that "sticky and sweet" sums up honey's character, but nature sees to it that no two varieties taste alike. With as many flavors as there are flowers, and great resources like www.honeylocater.com, you can dip into jar after jar and never chance upon the same recipe twice:
