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Mom's Irish Soda Bread with Whipped Cinnamon Honey Spread

It's finally St. Patrick's Day, which means corned beef, red potatoes, cabbage, and of course Irish soda bread!  This is one family recipe I can always count on when March 17th rounds the corner each year.

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Make your honey something sweet!

When I think of Valentine's Day, I think of chocolate, hearts, balloons, cards ... and bees! (But not because we're beekeepers.) Did you know that St. Valentine is the patron saint of beekeeping? What are the odds?

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Honey Snow Ice Cream

With all of the storms, vortexes, and blizzards we’ve seen this winter, it seems most appropriate to do a recipe this month inspired by…snow!  I can count on only one hand the number of times I’ve been able to make delicious, all natural, snow cream!  It’s the perfect treat to tack onto your snow day menu and pairs perfectly with snowmen, snow angels, snowball fights, and of course, hot cocoa. So, while you're salting your sidewalk, shoveling your driveway, and scraping your windshield, just remember - when life gives you snow, make snow cream!

This recipe was made by our friends, The Bee Folks, from Mount Airy, MD!

Honey Snow Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk or cream
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 tsp flavoring (vanilla, lemon, rum, peppermint, etc.) or cut-out the middle man and use our Vanilla Infused Honey!
• 8 cups fresh snow

Directions:

1. Mix honey and milk or cream until consistent throughout
2. Add snow until consistency is similar to thick oatmeal
3. Adjust flavorings, add sprinkles, and eat!

 

Honeycomb Brittle Holiday Gifts

If you live in the South, don’t let this sunny, warm, 60-degree weather fool you…the holidays have indeed arrived! Now that we’re approaching the second week of December, it’s time to start finalizing those gift-giving lists. Presents of all shapes and sizes need to be either cooked, bought, or crafted for neighbors, coworkers, teachers, family, and friends. With this in mind, you're looking at an entourage of 30+ people, and if you're Italian that means 50+ !   So you'll need to make something simple, inexpensive, and delicious!

Well the goddess of crafts, cooking, and more has the answer. Martha’s honeycomb brittle recipe is different than any other brittle because the air pockets in this sweet treat make it lighter, and easier on your teeth! She’s even paired it with the perfect packaging design, complete with a PDF so that you can print it off at home. And notice how the cellophane bags display the pattern of the honeycomb…

Use infused Cloister Honey to add a tasty pop of flavor to your honeycomb brittle.

We suggest Cloister Honey Infused:

• Arbol Chili Pepper – fiery
• Chipotle – smoky
• Vanilla Bean – aromatic
• Bourbon – classic

Ingredients

• Vegetable oil, cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup Cloister Honey (see infused options above)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon baking soda

Cook's Note

Brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Directions

Coat a 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Bring sugar, honey, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees. Remove from heat, and whisk in baking soda until combined and mixture bubbles. Gently pour mixture onto baking sheet without spreading. Let cool. Break into pieces.

Or make one batch of each flavor and add a combination of deliciousness in each bag! This recipe is appropriated from Martha Stuart’s website, for more information please visit www.marthastewart.com/honeycomb-brittle.

Proud Partner Week: Savory Spice Shop in South End

There’s something unique about a store that sells just one thing. Whether it sells musical instruments, specialty wines, artisan cheeses or art supplies – you know that you’re in the company of true experts.

If you’re in the market for spices…look no further. Savory Spice Shop in South End is just the place to find anything and everything you need spice-related. This store lines their wooden shelves, colorful walls, and grout-less floors with spices from across the country to around the globe.

Let’s say your looking for a powdered spice native to South America, cooks well with beef, has medium heat, and can be blended with curry seasonings…Savory Spice has the answer. Not sure if it’s perfect for your dish? Take a taste! All the spices in Savory Spice Shop can be sampled right then and there on the spot.

Now the big question is, what delicious spice blend works best with a classic Thanksgiving Day turkey? The clever experts at Savory Spice say it’s The Tiny Town Turkey Rub. This handcrafted rub couples perfectly with all of your timeless holiday side items like sweet potato casserole, black pepper green beans, and rosemary turkey gravy. And while you have four long hours to smell this tasty turkey sizzling, we hope you’ll spend this year’s Thanksgiving holiday with lots of good company and, of course, fabulous food!

The Tiny Town Turkey Rub

Ingredients:
Hungarian paprika, sage, onion, garlic, rosemary, black pepper, ginger, thyme, parsley, marjoram, red bell pepper, coriander, allspice, Greek oregano, savory and spices. Tiny Town is a great rub for turkey or duck. Rub 1 tsp. per pound onto the surface and into the cavity for aromatic and flavorful results. A bag for 4 oz. runs $6.30 and 8 oz. runs $10.45. While you there, be sure to check out the Citrus & Savory Brining Spices and the Sage & Savory Stuffing Seasoning (Salt-Free). 

Also, looking to jazz up that bowl of assorted nuts? Try Savory Spice’s Sweet & Savory Candied Nuts recipe, its perfect for a sweet and salted home-cooked treat - fresh from the oven! 

Yields: 4 cups
Ingredients:

• 4 cups nuts (almonds, pecans or mixed)
• 1/4 cup honey (Cloister Honey: Wildflower) 
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp. Tiny Town Turkey Rub
• 3 Tbsp. Vanilla Bean Sugar

Directions:
Toast nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 8 min. Transfer to a large bowl and add honey and corn syrup. Toss to coat and put back on non-stick or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Put nuts back in 350 degree oven for 10 min. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss Tiny Town Turkey Rub with the Vanilla Bean Sugar. Dump the hot gooey nuts into the spice mixture and toss to coat evenly. Spread out on a cookie sheet to cool then break apart with fingers.

Thank you so much to our partners and friend's Amy and Scott at Savory Spice Shop! For more information about their store please visit them on Facebook, Twitter, or online.

Location: 

Savory Spice Shop

2000 South Blvd

Charlotte, NC 28203

Honey Covered Apples, Popcorn Balls, and Pumpkin Seeds - Oh My!

It’s that time of year when the sun sets sooner and the breeze gets crisper... and we all know that Halloween must finally be here! This is also one of the craftiest times of the year, urging families of all kinds to cut, create, and glue their hearts out.  Steak knives and sharpie pens go missing as the faces of eerie jack-o-lanterns start to take form, while empty toilet paper rolls and fishing poles unveil hovering ghosts in the foyer.  We all know that reaching for that giant bag of overpriced assorted candies is the easiest go-to for Halloween trick-or-treaters but if you have a little more time this year, and an eye for creativity, try these wonderfully original hand-made treats that will make your house the favorite on the street!
 

1. Honey and Caramel Covered Apples

• Yield: 6 to 8 Caramel Apples (6 to 8 Servings)
• Prep: 5 mins
• Cook: 30 mins
• Ready In: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 6 medium apples (or substitute 8 small apples)
• 1 cup honey
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
•  natural red food dye (optional)
• 1/2 cup crushed pecans (preferably soaked and dried)
• 6 sticks or wooden dowels

Instructions

1. Whisk honey, cream, butter and salt in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble, then immediately reduce the heat to medium. Stir in food coloring, adjusting the volume to match the intensity of color you like. 
2. Continue to whisk the caramel frequently to prevent scorching and to prevent it from bubbling up and out of of your saucepan. Continue to cook until the caramel reaches a temperature of 260 F (about 25 minutes). The caramel should be a rich brown or red-brown if you also used food coloring; the bubbles should be small and should uniformly cover the surface of the pan and the caramel should be thickened.
3. Prepare an ice bath. Then pour the hot caramel into a mixing bowl and place the bowl in the ice bath, taking care not to splash water into the hot caramel. Stir the caramel until it is uniformly cooled and it begins to thicken just a bit. 
4. Plunge a wooden stick or dowel into the core of your apples and roll them, one by one, in the caramel until uniformly coated. Roll them in chopped pecans and place them on a piece of parchment paper to cool completely before serving. To read more about this wonderful recipe from the NourishedKitchen.com, go to: http://nourishedkitchen.com/honey-caramel-apples/#ixzz2iy3Hz9k2 

2. Honey Caramel Corn Balls

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp. honey (Cloister Honey: Wildflower)
  
• 3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 10 cups popped popcorn
• 2 tsp. fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups honey-roasted peanuts

Instructions
In a saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Add sugars, honey, and corn syrup and cook to 300° stirring occasionally. Place popcorn in a lightly oiled bowl. Pour caramel over popcorn and toss to combine, using spatulas sprayed with cooking spray. When popcorn has cooled slightly but is not quite set, mix in salt and peanuts. With oiled hands, form into 2-inch balls, working quickly, to get all the popcorn balls made before the caramel sets! To read more about this wonderful recipe from the CherryTeaCakes.com, go to: http://www.cherryteacakes.com/2011/03/orange-honey-caramel-corn.html
 

3. Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

French Apple Tart with Honey

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Thank goodness, the fall season has arrived! It’s finally time to throw away those alfalfa sprouts, pour out those detox drinks, and put away those bathing suits. This is the time we all welcome in with open arms (and waistbands) warm pumpkin chai lattes, creamy cinnamon cheesecake bites, and brown sugar glazed hams. Yum! But with all the sugar this season’s known for, we need to stop and think about ways to use natural sugar. If we keep spoiling our appetite during the day, we’ll miss out on those savory dinner favorites like roasted garlic potatoes, butternut squash soup, and rosemary rack of lamb. So before you reach for that slice of pumpkin pie or cup of hot chocolate try reaching for some honey with this delightfully sweet French Apple Tart from theframedtable.com!