Cooking with Honey The drawbacks of modern industrialized food production for personal health and general quality of life have become well known. Good homemakers and cooks remain vigilant: making the extra effort, paying the added expense, ever on-the-lookout for refreshing ways to make healthy, organic meals more delicious and appealing to family and friends. Raw, unfiltered gourmet honey, direct from the beekeeper, is a simple luxury that will improve the richness, depth, and nutritional quality of all your meals. Many of us have been handed down the mistaken idea that you can't really cook with honey. For most of our mothers and grandmothers, cane sugar was significantly cheaper and more readily available than honey, and foreign labor made possible the giant advertising budgets which engrained our consciousness. But now, with specialty honey like Gallberry-Tupelo and Pure Maine Wildflower so readily available and easy to order, we can look freshly at how we sweeten our food. Whether it is with morning tea or coffee, on toast or pancakes, or as a secret, hidden ingredient in soups, salads, sauces, gravies, or casseroles, It is more healthy, complex and delicious than white sugar, and comes straight from our fields to you: raw, unfiltered, unheated: a whole, unprocessed honey complete with it's inherent vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants. Though I have included some of our favorite honey recipes, we encourage you to experiment with your own recipes as well, adding honey wherever you are curious. Seek the joy of the moment with sweetness and delight!.. BEE HERE NOW! Honey: Nature's Own Preservative Cooking with honey not only improves the flavor and nutrition of meals, but acts to some degree as a natural preservative. One reason is that honey is a natural humectant, meaning it draws water from the air. Another possible reason for the preservative quality of honey is also associatd with it's high antioxidant content (Science News Online 9/12/98). When used as a marinade, glaze or sauce, honey has been shown to preserve color, texture and freshness of flavor in meat and vegetables. We use it a lot in camping food (Salsa, bean salad, vegetable/pasta salad, baked products), as it helps us survive for a week of living out of a pre-packed cooler. General guidelines for cooking with honey   The key to creatively cooking with honey, in most cases, is to use it in small amounts, experiment often, and consider that there are few foods which it doesn’t improve. Vietnamese Salad Dressing (Nuoc Cham)   This is a perfect dressing for Vietnamese spring rolls, or any of your favorite salads. Hot & Spicy Basic Vietnamese Marinade   Use with any meat or fish! Can be made ahead and stored in refrigerator. Applesauce Honey Cake   This moist, delicious recipe also works with cut up apple pieces - and makes fantastic muffins! New England Baked Beans   Michael was raised on Saturday night baked bean suppers in Vermont, and these are his favorites. Black Bean Soup   Honey improves any bean soup! Serve with Golden Corn bread. Golden Corn Bread   Honey, buttermilk and whole wheat flour make this recipe just a little better than the others! Honey Barbeque Glaze   Great for pork, chicken, duck or goose. Plays beautifully against a hot, tangy barbeque sauce! Awesome Pumpkin Pie   You'll never use white sugar in a pumpkin pie again! Try our favorite version, using Buttercup or Blue Hubbard squash. Honey Banana Bread (Lowfat )   Don't throw those bananas away! It's fast, easy and delicious. Honey Pancake Syrup   Thin it with water, or mix with maple syrup! Fruit Juices   Ever have the urge to buy a big box of delicious fresh fruit from a small, local farmer, but don't know what to do with it all? Honey Pumpkin Muffins   Add your favorite nuts or seeds! Chocolate Chip Cookies   Healthier and tastier version of a "must have" perfect recipe!