Honey Delights the Summer Table

Honey is not just honey. Most of us grew up with clover honey as a household staple. But in fact, bees and the beekeepers who tend them have many different honeys to offer us. Cooking with them, sampling them, discovering them, is one of the joys of living local and feasting on the bounty of the region.

When I lived in Provence, one of my dearest friends was Sophie, a local beekeeper who taught me about cooking with honey. Like me, she is a single mother of two growing boys who also likes to entertain. She often had friends over for a feast at her house at the end of a long dirt road in the woods. The recipes she shared with me are not only delicious, but also easy to prepare.

I’ve adapted a number of these recipes using local Northern Michigan honeys. The herbal hints in Star Thistle Honey are perfect with chilled green lentil salad. The subtle undertones of Tupelo Honey complement old-style mustard and yogurt on crunchy cucumbers. Fruity Orange Blossom Honey joins a squirt of lemon juice and rich crème fraîche on savory lake trout. Caramel-rich Buckwheat Honey marries marvelously with a spice-rubbed roast pork. And, a recipe I adore, Lavender Blossom & Honey ice cream, to anoint the Beekeeper’s spiced dark chocolate cake.

May these recipes delight your summer table.