Honey

About

Honey's flavor reflects its floral and geographical source, with over 600 volatile compounds identified across varieties; flavor also depends on the bee's processing and how the honey is later heated, handled and stored. Most honeys share a base note often compared to chamomile, but individual varieties can show strong differences, such as citrus or floral top notes in some, or deep, dark, coffee-like character in others like buckwheat honey. Comparative tasting across several raw honeys, for example on bread or warm oatmeal, reveals distinct notes such as caramel, prune, jasmine, raisin, violet, grass, smoke, tropical fruit, chocolate, citrus peel, licorice and coconut.

Pairs well with honey

• CiLemonA classic combination, popular as a cold remedy since honey soothes the throat while lemon's vitamin C brightens the flavor and cuts the…
• SuEggThe word 'omelet' derives from the Latin ova melita, and early versions of the dish included honey.
• CiOrangeOrange zest simmered briefly with honey and water makes a fragrant syrup, best made with a mild orange blossom honey.
• FrTomatoAdding a little sugar, or honey, to tomatoes effectively finishes their ripening, honey has the advantage of adding floral notes as well…
• WoAlmondHoney binds ground almonds into simple marzipan, and with egg whites added becomes the base for torrone, nougat, and macaroons, giving…
• SpCinnamonCinnamon adds complexity to honey, as in cinnamon-honey syrup poured over Greek loukoumades or fall-fruit fritters.
• RoChocolateHoney was the Aztecs' original sweetener for chocolate, and roasting cacao beans today still produces honey-like, nutty aromas.
• CiGingerHoney sweetened gingerbread before sugar became cheap, and darker varieties like chestnut or buckwheat honey -- specifically recommended…
• EaMushroomThe honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) is named for its honey-colored cap, not its flavor.
• BeMintCertain honeys carry natural minty or menthol notes: lime (linden/basswood) honey, Greek wild thyme honey, and carob honey, which leans…
• ChCheeseHoney's sweetness, weight, and cling make it an especially good match for cheese - fat in the cheese spreads the sweetness through the…
• GrAvocadoHoney brings out an unexpected, faintly familiar side of avocado's flavor.
• RoSesameAn ancient sweet, pasteli in Greece, is made by boiling honey to a firm-ball stage and mixing in an equal weight of toasted sesame seeds,…
• BrMisoNeri miso, miso, honey (or sugar) and water or sake, gently simmered together, balances salty and sweet in a smooth condiment or dressing,…
• SuCornHot corn pancakes with butter and honey, chestnut honey works especially well, its bitterness offsetting corn's sweetness, make a simple,…
• MuMustardMustard seeds ground with honey, vinegar and salt is an ancient combination, noted for its preservative qualities in the Roman cookbook…
• CrBananaBoth banana and honey change character with age, though in opposite directions: ripening bananas turn soft, translucent and sweet, while…
• CrDate'Honey dates' are dates grown from seed rather than propagated by offshoot, a growing method, not a separate variety.
• GrFennelFennel-like flavor is common in many honeys, especially honeydew honey, which bees make from sap excreted by aphids rather than from…
• GrBuckwheatBuckwheat honey has a malty, molasses-like flavor often compared to Marmite.
• EaRyeRye bread keeps its dense, musty, fibrous character even when sweetened with honey; buckwheat honey, with its own yeast and malt notes,…
• BeCranberryCranberry blossoms have a short, two-week flowering window that beekeepers manage carefully, clearing away competing flowers for the bees.
• WoOatScottish heather honey, thick, strong, smoky and spicy, pairs with oats and whisky in Atholl Brose, made by soaking oats in water…
• WoCashewIn honey-roasted cashews, honey plays a supporting role in flavor rather than a starring one.
• SpFenugreekAbish, the Ethiopian name for fenugreek, also refers to a frothy drink made from it: ground fenugreek seed is soaked in water for about…
• FrYogurtA classic pairing with a couple of pitfalls: yogurt can mute honey's flavor, and cold yogurt can make honey seize and turn chewy, so a…
• GrGreen teaGreen tea's slightly grassy, ferric flavor is well suited to sweetening with honey; a light variety like acacia works best, since it won't…
• WoPistachioA simple dish pairs honey, ideally a musky, orange-blossom-scented variety like wild lavender honey from Spain, drizzled on a plate,…
• FrTamarindTamarind, often used as a more intensely flavored substitute for lemon, combines with honey, vinegar and oil for a fruitier vinaigrette,…
• BeElderberryHoney suits elderberry's wild, untamed character better than refined sugar does, and the two are often combined in a syrup.