History of Honey

Honey is as old as written history, dating back to 2100 B.C. where it was mentioned in Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform writings, the Hittite code, and the sacred writings of India and Egypt; and it is presumably even older than that. Its name comes from the English hunig, and it was the first and most widespread sweetener used by man.

Legend has it that Cupid dipped his love arrows in honey before aiming at unsuspecting lovers. In the Old Testament of the Bible, Israel was often referred to as "the land of milk and honey." Honey was valued highly and often used as a form of currency, tribute, or offering. Mead, an alcoholic drink made from honey was called "nectar of the gods," high praise indeed. In the 11th century A.D., German peasants paid their feudal lords in honey and beeswax. Although experts argue whether the honeybee is native to the Americas, conquering Spaniards in 1600 A.D. found native Mexicans and Central Americans had already developed beekeeping methods to produce honey. In days of old, honey has been used not only in food and beverages, but also to make cement, in furniture polishes and varnishes, and for medicinal purposes. And, of course, bees perform the vital service of pollinating fruits, legumes, vegetables and other types of food-producing plants in their business of honey production.

Honey Tips and Hints

It's very easy to substitute honey for sugar in your recipes. Honey is up to twice as sweet as table sugar, so you will need to reduce the amount called for in the recipe by one-third to one-half honey for granulated or table sugar. Also, since honey is composed of up to 18% water, you will need to reduce the liquid called for in baked goods by about one-fifth. When baking sweets, you should also lower your oven temperature by 15 degrees C.(25 degrees F.).

To help accurately measure, know that a 250g container of honey will equal a one-cup measure. And, to help that honey slide smoothly from your measuring utensils, simply lightly coat the utensil with cooking oil before measuring the honey. Unless the recipe calls for sour milk or cream, some cooks add the merest pinch of baking soda to the recipes of baked goods to counteract the slight acidity of the honey which may cause overbrowning.

Since it has the ability to absorb and retain moisture, honey is used in the industry to keep baked goods moist and fresh. Use honey in baked goods you plan to mail to keep them bakery-fresh. Honey is also an excellent choice to use in salad dressings, since its emusifying qualities make it a perfect stabilizer.

Random Honey Facts

● Honey is a natural energy restorer. Need a quick boost? Try a teaspoon of honey in warm water. This will not only restore your energy, but it will help your digestive track too!

● Honey is one of the earliest forms of saccharine substances known to man.

● The colours of honey comes from the nectar of the plants. The lightest colours of honey have the mildest flavours, while the darker colours have fuller flavours.

● Did you know honey bees must tap over two million flowers to make 500 grams of honey, flying a distance equal to more than three times around the world?

● The average worker bee will make only one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey during its lifetime.

Honey and Babies

Honey is not recommended for babies under one year of age. Although honey is a natural, healthy food that normally cannot support bacterial life, it's important to note that it can carry C. botulinum spores which may be harmful to the undeveloped immune systems of infants.

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