Honey Help.
The Los Angeles Times food section (online) often offers beautiful recipes. I was hoping to try my hand at this recipe:
http://www.latimes.com/features/food/la-fo-newhoneyrecc26mar26,0,1954883.story
It calls for wildflower honey, preferably free range. Will it really make a difference what kind of honey I use? I read that different honey's have very specific tastes, but in terms of this tart- can I just use the jar of Goya honey (comb included) that I just purchased?
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10 Comments:
I doubt if a bee could discern free range honey from regular store bought.
srhcb at 7:46PM on 03/26/08
I THINK THAT WHILE THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN HONEY TASTE AND FRAGRANCE ACCORDING TO THE TYPES OF FLOWERS THE BEES POLLINATE, THERE SHOULDN'T BE THAT MUCH OF A DIFFERENTIATION IN USING VARIOUS HONEYS IN RECIPES
yupergrl at 8:07PM on 03/26/08
I think your tart will still be good. I love using light wildflower honey because the flavor is gentler than other honeys, like orangeblossom or mesquite, and I prefer that. As long as you like the flavor of the honey you bought, you shouldn't have a problem. The recipe seems to indicate that it requires creamed honey, though, which is definitely different in texture, so I would try to find a similar recipe just in case and compare. (Creamed honey has been whipped until it's crystallized and spreadable, almost like margarine.)
That tart sounds amazing, by the way. I hope it works out!
Narinda at 8:35PM on 03/26/08
OT, maybe, but I just have this picture in my head of the non free-range bees in little cages with flowers being shoved through the bars at them.
As for the honey, as long as you're not using something with a strong flavor that might conflict with the other ingredients, I doubt it's going to matter much which honey you choose.
dbcurrie at 10:52PM on 03/26/08
I agree with dbcurrie. Don't try to use a darker, stronger flavored honey such as buckwheat. Any other milder honey should work, as long as you don't use the creamed, and I wouldn't use the comb, either. Non free-range bees in tiny cages?!? That is hysterical!
As a honey sidebar - recently we tasted a carob honey at our local deli shop. It had the taste and texture of creamy fudge. As soon as I have an extra $25, I'm gonna get me some of that lucious stuff.
frederika at 11:42PM on 03/26/08
There are subtle differences in the taste of honey depending on where the bees pollinate but I don't think substituting one type of honey for another will "ruin" your recipe. I live in Florida and use tangerine honey - it doesn't taste much different than any other kind.
chiff0nade at 9:12AM on 03/27/08
I actually have a a sort of signature quick bread that I make all the time (one of the few recipes that I actualy repeat), called Honey Orange Bread, which calls for a full cup of honey. At the State Fair a couple of years ago, I purchased some beautiful local honeys that ranged from very light and sweet to very dark, almost opaque. Over time, I have used all of them in that single recipe, and although each one brought out a new flavor, they were all excellent. The baking times did not need to be altered, and the although at times you could distinguish the flavors, generally speaking, when you intermingle the honey like that with the rest of the ingredients in a recipe, it melds everything together nicely.
And on another sidenote, not to say that they dont' ahve great points, but if it turns out that you find a buckwheat honey that you really like, I say go ahead and use it in that recipe. People's tastes vary enough that you might really like it. However, I would argue for using a lighter one first, jsut to test and see. Besides, that means that if you like it, you might just have to make it again!
Traveller at 10:35AM on 03/27/08
I'd suggest using a medium colored honey in this case, most wildflower honeys are in that category. It's dependent on what flowers they've visited. Better to use lighter than darker. As per chiffonade's comment, I think there is a distict difference in honey flavors. Ask any apiarist. When you taste different honeys you can usually discern the flavor and/or scent of the flowers .
passy at 5:18PM on 03/27/08
There is a distinct difference in honey flavors, but when it's combined with apples, butter, sugar and goat cheese, and baked, I have a hard time believing it would matter all that much?
srhcb at 9:27PM on 03/27/08
srhcb, yes I think if you used honey such as buckwheat, its strong taste wouldn't necessarily "ruin" the recipe, but it would jump out at you too much IMHO.
passy at 1:57PM on 03/28/08