A sweet, golden, viscous liquid, honey has been used for centuries as a natural sweetener and health remedy. In Eva Crane's book "The Archaeology of Beekeeping," it is stated that humans began hunting for honey over 10,000 years ago. Honey was used to sweeten dishes in ancient Egypt. In Hinduism, honey is considered one of the five elixirs of immortality.c

Honeybees collect sweet nectar from flowers, then transport it back to to their hive. Worker bees ingest and regurgitate the nectar, allowing specialized enzymes in their stomachs and mouths to chemically transform the nectar to honey. The bees then fan the liquid with their wings to decrease the water content.

The taste of honey varies depending on the flowers bees collect their nectar from, darker honeys having stronger flavors than lighter varieties.c

Varieties:

Clover honey is mild flavored and available in colors ranging from water white to light amber.

Wildflower honey is dark in color with a range of flavors and scents depending on which wildflowers provided the nectar.

Alfalfa honey is light in color and has a delicate flavor.

Orange Blossom honey is light in color with a distinctive citrus flavor and scent.

Blueberry honey is slightly dark with a robust, full flavor.

Tupelo honey is fragrant, light and mild.

Chestnut honey is dark, tangy and slightly bitter due to its high mineral content.c

Select any recipe that calls for granulated sugar. The first step will be reducing the oven temperature by 25°F (-4°C) since honey becomes crisp and browns faster than sugar.

Since honey is twice as sweet as sugar, you will want to halve the sugar in your recipe when substituting with honey.

Because honey is hygroscopic, meaning that it attracts water, you must reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe by a quarter cup for each cup of honey added.

When substituting for sugar in recipes requiring the baked good to rise, add a half teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of honey that is used. This will neutralize the acidity of the honey, allowing the food to rise as it should.

Honey retains moisture, so using it to bake will prolong moisture retention in your baked goods.

Since honey is extremely viscous, it binds well and therefore is a helpful ingredient for shaping desserts like pastries and puddings.c

The soothing of sore throats is among honey's health benefits, as well as the antioxidant properties it contains.

A natural antiseptic, honey can help heal minor burns and cuts.

Do not feed honey to children under one year of age as honey can contain Clostridium botulinum spores which cause botulism.c

Keep your honey in an airtight container. If you use honey infrequently, keep it at temperatures below 50°F (10°C). While honey has a nearly infinite shelf life, liquid honey will crystallize in its container; it can, however, be returned to its liquid state by placing its contained in warm water for five minutes.c