Like Bees to Honey

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

This past week I was walking along with my dog in the park, when all of the sudden a little bee got tangled up in my clothing. Next thing I knew, I felt a painful stinging sensation through my shorts, one I haven’t felt since I was little kid. In fact, it was every bit as bad as I remembered! As the bee blithely flew away, I hobbled off grasping my leg, and wondering how such a tiny creature could inflict so much pain. For the next couple of days the pain subsided but I was left with a red swelling the size of a baseball.

But then this incident reminded me that for all the pain a bee sting causes, bees actually lead a very fascinating and useful existence. Vital to our ecosystem, these hard workers pollinate flowering plants and gather nectar, which they use to produce an essential ingredient: honey. The honey produced by bees is a pure and natural form of sweetness, which we humans have collected since ancient times and use frequently as an indispensable culinary item. Honey is even used symbolically in some religious traditions, such as the recently celebrated Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, with a traditional combination of apples and honey. Honey symbolizes the welcoming of a sweet new year.

Honey is a natural partner to tea, and has soothing properties to the throat. Whenever I feel a cold or sore throat coming on, one of the first things I reach for is a cup of hot tea with honey and lemon. The Tropical Tea recipe below, made in the slow cooker, is the perfect way to ward off any tickle in the throat or feelings of sickness the impending weather change may bring on.

In addition, honey makes a great addition to a marinade for poultry or pork, adding a touch of sweetness. One of my favorite marinade combinations is a simple mixture of one part honey to one part soy sauce, with lots of fresh grated ginger and chopped garlic. You can marinate pieces of chicken in this mixture overnight, and then cook it all day while you are away in the slow cooker on low heat, for a delicious, fragrant dish.

Sweet ingredients, such as honey and apples are a classic combination with pork. This easy slow cooker meal of Honey and Apple Cider Glazed Pork is a great way to usher in those first few crisp days of fall. Once it cooks all day, in the crockpot, you can finish it in the oven with the honey glaze – along with some roasted red or sweet potatoes and a veggie, it makes the ideal early autumn supper.

So the more I think about it, bees aren’t really so bad after all. And the honey they produce offers so many culinary uses, barring any serious allergies, it may be worth a little sting every once in a while!

Serves/Makes: 8

• 6 tea bags
• 6 cups boiling water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1 orange (unpeeled), sliced, plus more for serving if desired
• 1 cinnamon stick, plus more for serving if desired

Serves/Makes: 6

• 3 pounds boneless pork roast
• salt and pepper
• 6 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard