My government never ceases to amaze me. What the heck do they do all day? Because it sure as heck doesn't appear like they do anything good for the regular people of America.
Today's government screw-up involves honey. Come to find out as I started researching this morning, the government only makes recommendations as to how honey should be labeled. The government has no requirements. So manufacturers and packagers are free to claim whatever the heck they want. They can define terms as they wish.
Natural is supposed to mean that there are no artificial additives, no artificial color, flavor, or other synthetic substances. But since that term is unregulated, you have to check the ingredient list for yourself.
Pure means that there are no additives whatsoever. This honey may be heated and it may be filtered. The packagers can add adjectives to their honey, such as pure clover honey, or pure orange blossom honey. As if the bees will only take nectar from beekeeper-approved blossoms.
Raw indicates that there was no processing, that the honey hasn't been heated or filtered. Raw honey advocates assert that raw honey tastes better and has more enzymes and antioxidants than processed honey. Also, that it can relieve allergies. The National Honey Board and some research articles claim that the enzymes and antioxidants removed by processing are negligible. He said/she said. You get to figure the truth of the matter out on your own.
Filtered means that the honey has been run through a filter to remove bits of beeswax, honeycomb, and all the body parts bees lose in their workplace injuries--arms, legs, antennae, heads. The bees have no worker's compensation programs in place to deal with workplace injuries. Maybe the liberals will get involved and fix that.
Adulterated means that corn syrup, water, sugar, or just about anything else has been added to stretch the honey. Adulterated honey will never crystallize. Raw and pure honey always will, eventually.
Which leads us to the next topic, how to deal with crystallized honey.
I'm always happy to have crystallized honey. It means that the honey isn't adulterated. I didn't get fooled or suckered. However, it can be a little difficult to work with. Especially if it's in a large bucket or tin. It was quite popular in the 70's and 80's to sell honey in four-gallon tins or buckets. Popular for the beekeeper because everything was easier for him. And popular for the buyer because it was easier for storage. Until it was time to use it. Then it was more like "what the heck?!" Because liquefying that much honey has its challenges.
The best, easiest, cheapest way to liquefy honey is in the sun on a warm day. It works if your honey isn't truly hard-core. I received some honey from a friend this past summer, and it was truly hard. No amount of time in the sun was softening it at all.
If your honey is really solidified and the warm days have passed, you've got some work to do. When we received two four-gallon tins of forty-year-old honey from my in-laws, our solution was to put them on their sides in the oven (one at a time). Set the oven on low, and every once in a while drain the honey into a canning jar.
Smaller tins and jars of honey can also be liquefied on the stove over low heat in a pan of water. This always works, as long as you don't forget about it. Like I did. Once. Bad, bad, bad.
Some people do it in a bathtub full of hot water. This is especially popular for people whose honey is in plastic buckets.
Whatever you do, I would highly recommend putting your honey into more manageable containers before life gets interesting.
For further reading:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/how-to-substitute-honey-for-sugar/
https://blog.beeraw.com/baking-with-honey-substitute-for-sugar
https://www.thekitchn.com/4-rules-for-successfully-swapping-honey-for-sugar-in-any-baked-goods-230156
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/what-are-the-differences-between-raw-pure-natural-honey/
© 2019, PrepSchoolDaily.blogspot.com
09.18.21
Jennifer, this was a wonderful read...helpful and also funny. I have been there and done it. We have enjoyed beekeeping for the past two seasons so we know we are enjoying pure honey...no body parts in our sweet stuff! We do store our honey in pint and half-pint jars which seems to work quite well. Plastic bears are used for gifts. Thank you for the great info and chuckles. Keep your blog going as I look forward to reading it every day.
ReplyDeleteCW, Thank you so much! I write this blog because I know it's important for my children. But they never say thank you. :( It's so nice to hear a little gratitude from someone. (And someone who gets my attempts at humor, as well.)
DeleteYou know, it seems like you could come up with some fun labels for your honey, and the government couldn't do much about it. I tried coming up with something on my own, but I'm not all that creative with stuff like this. Pure conservative honey, as opposed to the adulterated liberal honey in grocery stores. Not that you need to since you might not be selling it, but having a great label sometimes dresses up a jar of homemade goods.
Have a great day!
You are correct. We only raise very conservative bees who produce pure conservative honey:)
DeleteHAHAH Great post. My dad was a beekeeper for eighty of his ninety eight years, and your advice is spot on, as well as hilarious. Rock solid honey and forgetting honey on the stove are indeed bad, bad, bad.
ReplyDelete