Edible Blue Ridge Summer 2011 : Page 22
bees locally. “Local sources should be able to provide honeybees that are better adapted to Virginia’s weather patterns, particularly with regard to winter survival,” says Tignor. “Bee-keepers should look for sources whose bees display a higher level of resistance to common diseases and pests.” O f course, a better survival rate for a hive means more of the sweet stuff for the beekeeper. “When you have bees, you’re always finding new ways to use honey,” says Fauss, holding a scoop in one hand, and in the other, a Tupperware container filled with her homemade honey-sweetened ice cream (see recipe below). Honey is a recommended substitute for regular sugar (for people older than 12 months) because it’s easier for the body to digest, and it’s simply more nutritious. It contains complex vi-tamins, calcium, beta-carotene, potassium, and phytochemicals. Plus, honey’s glycemic index is lower than that of granulated sugar, which means energy is released more slowly and will help you keep your blood-sugar level stable. No sugar high, or sugar low, with honey. What’s noteworthy about its sweetness is its extreme, well, honeyness—full-bodied and imbued with nature. But among the different types of honey are pronounced nuances. Thyme and lavender honeys (made from the flowers of those plants), for instance, have a distinct herbal essence, while raspberry flower honey has notes of fruit and a subtle tang. Tulip poplar honey is deep, earthy, and robust, almost molasses-like. The darker it is, the greater number of good-for-you phytochemicals. Trouble is, for most back-yard beekeepers, determining which flowers the bees visited to make your honey is nearly impos-sible; it’s likely a mix of many. 24 | EDIBLE BLUE RIDGE SUMMER 2011 Still, a backyard honey’s flavor is defined by time and place. A honey from Charlottes-ville in 2010, for instance, will taste totally different from a batch taken from the same hive in the same spot in 2011. And both will be unlike a batch harvested in, say, Harrison-burg in the same two years. This site-specific “terroir”—or flavor of a particular spot at a particular moment—is what makes backyard (and local) honey so special. That and the fact that it is bottled “raw,” meaning totally unprocessed. Most supermarket honeys, on the other hand, are filtered and heated to a temperature at which important vitamins and enzymes are de-stroyed. A real buzz kill. All the processing you really need, the bees have taken care of. They gather nectar, which starts as 80 percent water, but through a complex process of evaporation and flapping wings, the bees are able to bring it down to 18 percent, the magic number at which honey can last practically forever. In fact, honey was found in the 3,000-year-old tomb of an Egyp-tian pharaoh—and was still edible. Even with its long shelf life, honey can crystallize over time—especially raw honey. It’s still tasty, though appearance and texture can be compromised. To avoid crystalliza-tion, store your honey in a dark space at 57 degrees Fahrenheit or cooler. To remove crys-tals that have already formed, boil a small pot of water; turn off the heat and let it sit for five minutes; then set the jar of honey in the water JOIN THE CLUB A bee club in your town or county can hook you up with equipment and expertise. These associa-tions can also tell you about nearby sources from which you can buy your bees. Central Virginia Beekeepers Association , Charlottesville; centralvirginiabeekeepers.org Northern Piedmont Beekeepers Association , Madison/Culpeper; npbee.org Shenandoah Valley Beekeepers Association , Rockbridge County; shenvalleybeekeepers.org Virginia State Beekeepers Association , virginiabeekeepers.org (never let the honey boil). Make sure all crys-tals have dissolved. If not, it will recrystallize. For a science-minded person like Fauss, all this precision has appeal. In her Cherry Avenue home, honey tastings are like controlled (albeit delicious) experiments. Set out on her deck is a veritable lineup—honeys from Europe, oth-ers from her own Charlottesville collection, a couple from her father’s hives in Richmond. A toothpick goes into one jar, twirls around, then hits a soon-to-be-happy tongue. It must be said: Fauss’ honey really is the bees knees. On to the next jar, to taste and compare the work of another busy hive. With each twirl and lick of a toothpick comes an original experi-ence, something that’s hard to put into words. All that can be uttered now is “ mmmmm ”—a sound that, when drawn out long enough, seems to meld with the buzzing of the bees. To them, hopefully it sounds like “Thanks.” EMMA’S HONEY ICE CREAM 2 ⁄ 3 cup raw local honey 2 cups 1% milk 2 cups heavy cream 1 tsp. orange extract 1 tsp. vanilla extract In a saucepan over low heat, dissolve honey into heavy cream and milk. Be sure not to simmer. Stir in extracts. Chill in refrigera-tor until cold. Freeze in ice cream maker, according to instructions. (For a good machine, turn to page 18.)
Emma’s Honey Ice Cream
2⁄3 cup raw local honey <br /> 2 cups 1% milk<br /> 2 cups heavy cream<br /> 1 tsp. orange extract<br /> 1 tsp. vanilla extract<br /> <br /> In a saucepan over low heat, dissolve honey into heavy cream and milk. Be sure not to simmer. Stir in extracts. Chill in refrigerator until cold. Freeze in ice cream maker, according to instructions. (For a good machine, turn to page 18.) <br />
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