Buckwheat Honey Time

A few months ago I was invited by the National Honey Board to a honey tasting.  Do I have a sweet job or what?  I learned everything I ever wanted to know about honey and discovered my new found love for buckwheat honey.

Buckwheat honey was the last variety we tried.  It is a dark honey with a very intense, malty flavor. It is amazing how the source of the pollination, in this case, buckwheat, can impart such a difference in taste and texture.  After licking my spoon dry, I noticed that about half the other people didn’t finish their sample.  The person leading the demonstration said, “you either love it or hate it.”  (Clearly I was in the love side of the spectrum)

Honey is good for your health for a variety of reasons, see more in link.

Buckwheat honey is a very dark honey, reminiscent of molasses, but much more enjoyable to eat by the spoonful… So I’ve heard 🙂  It is the honey that has been found to relieve coughs as good if not better than cough syrup. The dark color and robust flavor are all signs of the high antioxidant content. I can even vouch for it personally,  I stumbled upon a terrible cold right after I got this honey and sure did it come in handy!

So even if you are not ready to fall in love with buckwheat honey, now is the perfect time of year to find some fun ways to like it. You can’t substitute buckwheat honey for all varieties but it has proven a remarkable addition to some of the cakes and breads I’ve made recently, try my new favorite Spiced Honey Cake Recipe.

Rosh Hashanah is honey time. Our traditional call for sweet recipes for a sweet year and honey is served at every meal with challah and apples. I got my buckwheat honey from Bee Raw. All their honey is 100% raw and natural (so according to the Star-K does not need hashgacha). That means it is not filtered.  The honey may crystallize faster than other honey you might be used to, but don’t worry honey can never spoil.  You can also always warm the jar under hot water or in the microwave.

Try buckwheat honey this year and intensify your honey cake. Here is my recipe with a little more spice and a chocolate honey glaze that will really top things off at your table!

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