Sweetening One Local Michigan Summer

Our attempts to document our version of “one local Michigan summer” is off to a slow and pathetic start due to the long interruption of power at the Whitfield house and the resulting disheveled schedules not to mention we're really bad at taking pictures and even worse at taking the time to write a blog entry. What seemed easy when we signed up for it now seems a bit challenging under these circumstances however, rest assured we're giving it the old college try - even if local means slapping a couple poached eggs on a plate courtesy of five cage free/free ranging hens loving life 50 feet from our back door. In the mean time, please accept this suggestion from Whitfield Apiaries (the Simply Raw Honey people) to help you meet your goals of eating “local” this summer.

Honey has been used for centuries as a natural sweetener and was a much coveted staple known to be present in every king or pharaoh’s pantry. Whatever happened to honey as our preferred sweetener? That is another story but for now, pure, naturally produced honey combined with local flour from Westwind Milling Co. is a sure way to complement those “local Michigan summer” meals with your favorite baked sweets.

To make the substitution, simply follow these guidelines that have been tried and proven for years by the food scientists at the National Honey Board. You can make good recipes even better using local, naturally produced honey:

• Substitute honey for up to half the sugar called for in the recipe. With a little experimentation, honey can replace all the sugar in certain recipes.
• Reduce the liquid in the recipe by ¼ cup for each cup of honey used.
• Add ½ teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.
• Reduce oven temperature by 25 deg F to prevent over-browning.
• Remember, honey has a higher sweetening power than sugar. It will take less to sweeten your recipe.
• For easy measuring and fast clean-up, coat measuring cups and spoons with oil before measuring honey.
• 12 oz honey equals 1 cup.

If all this brings back bad memories of high school chemistry class, go to The National Honey Board and pick from the 1400 proven recipes offered. This is one of the best honey information resource for consumers, food industry professionals and beekeepers alike.

Best of luck with your “one local Michigan summer” and let Honey make your good food even better.

Bryan & Judy
Whitfield Apiaries
Ortonville, MI