And besides loving honey, I love bees and have been toying with the idea of getting a hive or two.
Until then, I just make sure to meet as many local beekeepers as I can to get on their list for when they spin and sell their honey.
The Fantastical Food Fight Honey Pot
After my cover and article on honey - Bee Yourself - was published in Edible Monterey Bay's Summer 2013 issue [cover above!], several publishers sent me honey cookbooks. And, for Mothers' Day this year, after four moves in the past eight years, Jake gave me a bookshelf. So, I was able to finally unpack all of my books and can finally get around to cooking from them.
I've candied lots of different fruits. But I've always used sugar. It never occurred to me to candy fruit with honey...at least not until I read The Fresh Honey Cookbook: 84 Recipes from a Beekeeper's Kitchen by Laurey Masterton.
Ingredients
- 1/2 C cold water
- 1/2 C local honey (I used pine honey)
- 4 C halved and seeded organic kumquats
Procedure
Place the water and honey in a medium pan. Stir to combine and bring to a boil, stirring often with a spatula.Add in the kumquats and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the kumquats are tender and all the whites are gone. It takes approximately 20 minutes.
Keep cooking until the sauce is reduced to a thick syrup. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. I spooned these into a sterile jar and refrigerated them for later use.
I would love to hear more about these honey cookbooks, Cam. Perhaps you can review them over at Foodies Read. Your kumquats look lovely.
ReplyDeleteMmmmm what an interesting recipe! I rarely use kumquats, but they are so cute and yummy, so I should use them more often!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you could candy things with honey either. I'm sure that cookbook has a ton of information in it!
ReplyDeletewhat a creative recipe! nice job, cam.
ReplyDeleteAh! This reminds me of an aunt who used to have gooseberries in honey so it must have been prepared this way! I honestly hearing kumquats for the first time. 😬 I am glad to be part of this event where i meet and learn so many new things. Thank you for sharing Cam!
ReplyDeleteIt never occurred to me to use honey for candying either! I can't wait to try it.
ReplyDeleteThis theme was definitely right up your alley! What a delicious sounding recipe.
ReplyDeleteThese look like a heavenly snack! And I'm right there with you on wanting a few hives! Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck - Colleen
ReplyDeleteThese look so pretty- I can't wait to see the recipe that you make with them!
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever recipe for our food fight!
ReplyDeleteI have never had kumquats - they look similar to apricots. What do they taste like?
ReplyDeleteI, too, would love to have a hive someday. I'm hoping in the next year to landscape with a ton of bee-friendly plants. :) They are super interesting creatures.
Seeing this fruit for the first time, looks so much like apricots! This would be amazing to slather on a hot toast for a lazy breakfast... definitely candying with honey would be way healthier than sugar!
ReplyDeleteWhat a creative way to use honey! Yum!
ReplyDelete