[An oldie from November 19, 2011] One of my primo recipes is Swedish pancakes.  On January 31st, I shared the recipe along with a pic of Chef Popi and his admirers.  I do not use sugar in the mix.  I use honey.  Honey is purely sweet and adds a subtle, gentle sweetness to the flavor.   In fact in baking (or even sauteing onions to add flavor), given the choice, I use honey.  A healthy dessert that I make for myself is Greek yogurt, almond (or peanut) butter topped with honey.  How sweet it is!

We all know that bees make honey but did you know that honey is the result of continuous regurgitation by the bees?    It goes up and down until it reaches a desired consistency then “splat” it goes into the honeycomb.  Interestingly most microorganisms cannot grow in honey (due to low water content – .6%) thus honey normally does not spoil — even after decades or even centuries of sitting around. Egyptian tombs from 3,000 years ago have featured honey that remains edible. It’s kinda like Twinkies which have a shelf life of 47 years.  Honey gleaned from different flowers and plants results in varied flavor and qualities.  Honey is a healthier choice than sugar as it contains no cholesterol. 

Our ancestors were collecting honey 10,000 years ago.  The Old and New Testaments refer to honey (Judges 14:8 and Matthew 3:4) and the Qur’an devotes an entire Surra to honey (al-Nahl; The Honey Bee).  Sore throat?  Honey in hot water.   Cuts or scratches?  Honey (if no antiseptic is available).  MRSA bacteria?  Honey (New Zealand Mānuka).  Good stuff, honey.   

[Postscript — The health benefits to honey include being an antioxidant powerhouse, helps with heart and brain function and – for me, a teaspoon before bedtime helps cut down on extra trips down the hall at night].