Glossary of food terms: H
Honey
A naturally sweet, viscous liquid made from the nectar of flowers, collected by honey bees. Honey comes in numerous varieties with different colours, textures and flavours. The flavour, colour and sweetness is dependent on which type of flower the nectar was collected from.
There's a huge choice available now including Scottish heather honey, acacia honey and chestnut honey, plus a wide range from countries around the globe. Clear or runny honey and set honey have different textures because of the varying amounts and types of natural sugars contained in each of them. Clear honey is often easier to use for cooking because it’s easier to pour.
Apart from spreading it on your toast, use honey as a sweetener to replace sugar in desserts, drinks and in baking. Stir honey into yoghurt and spoon onto fruit salads or use it as the basis for a sticky marinade for pork or chicken - honey and mustard is a great combination.
Honey also makes a delicious glaze for roast pork, sausages or parsnips. Honey keeps in the larder for up to a year. Clear honey has a tendency to crystallise after time, but just put the jar in a jug of hot water for a minute or so and it will turn clear again.
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