Oh Honey of a Honey
Honey has been around just as long as the honey bee has been around and it has the greatest health benefits of anything out there. There are many recipes out there that use honey to cook with, but cooking honey can drastically change its flavor. The best kind of recipe is one that uses honey straight from the jar. And while you are making these recipes, dip the spoon in the jar and eat it, I won’t tell. 
Honey for Breakfast: Take Greek-style yogurt drizzled with honey and topped with a few spoonfuls of pomegranate seeds is a great pick-me-up in the morning and can have the lasting benefits that last all day long.
Honey in your Drink: If you enjoy martinis and other fluty drinks try adding honey drizzled in the bottom of the glass. You can even drizzle the honey around the sides of the glass as well. If you use a mild wildflower honey or even raw honey works you won’t have it crystallize while the cool drink is sitting with it in the glass. The best flavor combination is honey in the bottom and along the sides of the glass with vanilla vodka and a honey stick added to top it off.
Honey with your Cheese: If you pair honey with sharp cheeses, or even blue cheese you open your mouth up to an explosion of flavor. Try using at your next get-together a pairing of cut blue cheese on a serving platter, drizzling with a bit of a full-flavored honey such as buck wheat over the top of the cheese and topping it all with some roasted nuts or dried fruits. Pair this with quality crackers and your guest will be so impressed with the combination of salty and sweet.
Facts about honey:
1. Honey should always be stored at room temperature, never in the refrigerator.
2. Honey can be mixed with lemon juice or with warm tea can be a soothing cough syrup. (Mix lavender and eucalyptus essential oils with olive oil for a homemade cough suppressing chest soother as well.)
3. Never give honey to children under 1 year of age.
4. Remove crystals from honey by simply placing the honey container in warm water or the microwave for 30 seconds till the crystals dissolve.
5. Bees store honey in wax cells inside the beehive.
6. Honey can be made by bees by using the nectar from any flower, but most common honey is found to be made from clovers.
7. You can substitute any recipe calling for granulated sugar with honey. Substitute up to half the sugar that the recipe calls for with honey. With more experimenting you can find out exactly how much some of your favorite recipes will call for in the end.
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Earthly Eating Recipe
Buttermilk Panna Cotto with Kiwi and Lime
Serves: 6
2 cups low-fat cultured buttermilk
1 package unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup water
1 cup 2 percent low-fat milk
4 tbs. granulated sugar
1 1-inch vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
6 kiwis
Juice of 3 limes
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish (optional)
Bring the buttermilk to near room temperature before starting recipe. In a small bowl, cover the gelatin with the water and set aside to soften for at least 5 minutes.
Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat; add the sugar and vanilla bean. Stir in the softened gelatin until it is all dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool for about 15 minutes.
Whisk the buttermilk with the milk and vanilla mixture. Remove the vanilla beans squeezing out the seeds as you remove it. Divide the liquid among 6 ramekins or custard cups and refrigerate until they are firm. This should take about 3 hours.
Peel the kiwi fruit with a knife and slice crosswise into thin rounds. Cut each of the rounds in half. Place them in serving bowls and add some lime juice, sugar and chopped mint and stir just to combine trying not to break apart the kiwis.
Remove the ramekins and set them in a bath of warm water to loosen the edges or run a knife around the edges. Turn the mold out on a serving dish and arrange half round of kiwi around the molds. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint before serving.
Happy Eating!
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