The Rural Voice, 1991-08, Page 34RURAL LIVING
HONEY:
USING LIQUID GOLD FOR COOKING
A few years ago Klaus and I asked a local bee keeper if
he would place a hive or two along the old orchard located
at the edge of our bush. We had just planted a few more
fruit trees and recognized the value of having enough bees
around for pollinating. The bee keeper was most obliging
but after he investigated, he told us the arca was already
saturated with bee colonies and it just wouldn't be either
safe or feasible to set up another hive in the immediate area.
We were a bit surprised until we took a slow tour down a
few roads and saw the number of hives nestled in groves
and along old fence lines. Bees will travel miles in their
quest for the nectar they use to make honey.
I was raised with a healthy respect for bees, and while
we were taught not to be frightened of them, we were also
told not to anger them or we would suffer the consequences.
Any bee stings we had as children were a result of walking
through the grass
barefoot and catch-
ing a bee unawares.
The bcst part of
watching bees at
work was that we
would also enjoy the
fruits of their labour.
Golden honey on
toast was a real treat
then just as it is
now.
Honey has been
called the nectar of
the gods and enjoy-
ed for thousands of
years, and was the
number one sweet-
ener until the middle
ages.
Although first
recognized for its
sweetness, man
came to recognize other properties. Honey is almost pure
sugar and ferments readily. Bits and pieces of honey comb,
Icft in water to soak out the last drips of honey, would fer-
ment and produce a delicious and heady drink familiarly
known as mead, or honey beer. Since grapes did not grow
in every climate and grain was not widely cultivated, honey
mead became a widely popular drink and remained so until
the 16th century when monastaries, which were Targe
producers of honey, were disbanded. The monks kept bees
for making votive candles, and the honey was the only com-
mercially viable product.
Honey is harvested during the summer months and it is
not uncommon to see signs out along Canadian roads adver-
tising fresh honey for sale. We have a favourite supplier
where we have our clean honey pail filled every year.
The Canadian Honey Council has a ready supply of reci-
pes and advice on honey and how to keep it. They recom-
mend storing creamed or liquid honey in a tightly covered
container at room temperature in a dry location. Comb
honey has a much shorter shelf life, so freeze it for long
term storage. If liquid honey becomes granulated, re -liquify
it by placing the container in warm water. Stir gently until
crystals melt, or use the defrost setting of the microwave.
Of course, what would all this talk of honey be without a
good recipe to try out. The Teriyaki Kabobs recipe is from
the Canadian Honey Council, and for more recipes you may
write them at Box 1566, Nipawin, Saskatchewan, SOE IEO.
Teriyaki Kabobs
Marinade
250 ml soya sauce
(1 cup)
125 ml honey (1/2
cup)
50 ml vegetable oil
(1/4 cup )
25 ml lemon juice (2
tablespoons)
10 ml ginger (2
teaspoons)
2 ml pepper (1/4
teaspoon)
4 cloves garlic
Kabobs
1 kg tender beef (2
pounds) in 2 cm (1
inch) cubes
2 green peppers
cubed
3 medium onions
peeled and quartered
1/2 fresh pineapple cubed
1 small basket cherry tomatoes
250 g. fresh mushrooms (1/2 pound) cleaned
Combine marinade ingredients. Mix well. Pour mari-
nade over cubed beef and marinate in refrigerator 2 to 3
hours.
Alternate marinated beef, green peppers, onions,
pineapple chunks and mushrooms on the skewers. Barbecue
the Kabobs 5-8 minutes or until done. Garnish with cherry
tomato.0
?O THE RURAL VOICE