Why you should love cold churned honey

Sometimes on your quest for interesting food you have to seize the moment of introduction, wherever it is presented to you. My husband and I were driving along the highway en route to Niagara Falls. We had been together for five years and a little celebration seemed in order, complete with natural splendor and all the gawdy tourist traps. On the drive from Chicago, just after crossing into Canada, I was suddenly grabbed by a highway sign: Meadery.

I started enthusiastically poking my finger at the window. "That! I want to go there. Hey, get over into the right lane. Come on! Meadery! How cool is that?" We went whizzing by, but Terry promised we could go on the way back. We even looked up their number to reserve an off-season tour of the honey and mead facilities. And that is how a random highway sign lead me to a love affair with cold churned honey. Once you get one taste of this velvety smooth, creamy nectar of the Gods, you'll never go back.




The texture of the honey affects the way you experience its taste. Thick spreadable honey has a consistency slightly thinner than peanut butter. This consistency comes from the particular way the honey is processed. After the raw honey combs are put through the extraction process, and the honey is filtered to remove impurities, some of the honey is taken off to the side. This honey goes into the cold storage facilities where it is continuously churned. The cold thickens the honey while the churning creates the spreadable quality. The texture is therefore a product of the way the honey is processed, not any artificial additives.

Some companies have begun selling flavored versions of spreadable honey. At my mother in law's home I tried amaretto and vanilla flavor. I have to admit I was ultimately disappointed. Those strong artificial flavors simply cannot compete with the natural splendor of honey that derives its subtle flavoring from the pollen preferred by the bees. Clover honey has a different shade of color and taste than buckwheat honey, which in turn will be different from the honey produced by bees pollinating a blueberry crop. This sumptuous subtlety is, to me, too great a delight to spoil with unnatural flavors. Check out your local grocers and see if you don't agree with me.