Beyond the cute, squeezable bear there is the work of 60,000 bees operating one of the world’s most efficient facilities – the beehive.
The natural sweet substance begins with bees in a hive visiting more than 2 million flowers to gather just enough nectar to make a single pound of honey, according to the National Honey Board. The result is a complex of naturally flavored sugars and trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins and amino acids.
Honey is available in a multitude of varieties stemming from the flowers that give the honey a unique taste, aroma and color. In South County blackberry, fireweed and raspberry are the classics on local farmstands and at farmers markets.
“Local honey is such a great way to get some regional flavor into a dish,” says celebrity chef Kathy Casey. “It also helps support our local bee keepers and bee population.”
Behind her Food Studios she keeps two hives for the hyper-local Liquid Kitchen Honey. “It has a very distinctive flavor from all the wild fennel that grows in our urban garden,” she says.
This salad is great as a starter, or as an entrée topped with grilled chicken or shrimp. When in season, a scattering of pomegranate seeds is a festive addition. The honey adds just a touch of sweetness to the dressing in this recipe, which is quick and easy to make in a blender.
Cuties Salad with Fennel, Feta and Honey Citrus Dressing
Makes 4 entrée servings or 6–8 starter servings
Ingredients
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed
6 Cuties clementines
6 cups spring mixed greens (about 5 ounces)
Honey Citrus Dressing (recipe follows)
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
1. Finely shave fennel with a sharp knife or mandoline and crisp in ice water for 10 minutes. Spin dry before using. Cut peel off clementines, trim away all white pith, then cut fruit into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Set fruit aside.
2. Toss greens and fennel with 1/2 cup of dressing to coat nicely. Serve salad on a large platter or divide among individual plates. Top with sliced clementines and sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with a little extra dressing if desired.
Honey Citrus Dressing
Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
2 Cuties clementines, peeled and segmented
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons Liquid Kitchen 5130 honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios
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