I Love Honey, Do You?

Honey is said to be the nectar of the gods – golden, sweet and perfect. Honey is also one of those things I wonder about. I mean, what ever possessed someone to harvest honey from a bunch of swarming bees? There are cave painting in Spain depicting people foraging for honey more than 8,000 years ago.

Since then, we have managed to semi-domesticate several species of honey bees. We’ve also created some not so friendly Killer Bees. Yeah, don’t get me started on the subject of people meddling where they shouldn’t be. Just because we can doesn’t mean we should. But that’s a rant for another day.

As a girl, I can remember catching bees with my brother in our backyard. We scooped them up in a mason jar. I cannot tell you how many times I got stung running through the clovers barefooted. Oh those were amazing summers. Around our garden, we have bottle brush plants that attract large swarms of bees needed to pollinate our pepper plants in the spring. There are time when I’m in the garden and the bees buzz is so loud, I can barely hear myself think. Bees are such an important part of our food chain. Not only for the honey, but for apples and oranges and berries of every kind. Farming relies on bees.

Growing up, my dad make the best biscuits. I can remember him so well in the pale yellow glow of the kitchen light, a towel draped over one shoulder, cutting biscuits for breakfast. My favorite part was when he would let me make the honey butter. We would argue, since I tend to have a heavy hand when it comes to the honey to butter ratio. Kiddo is the same way. He loves his honey. In the summer one of the things we look for at the farmers markets and street fairs are locally produced honey in small batches.

Yeah, biscuits with honey bring back such warm childhood memories. And I am so grateful that those memories can be shared with my grandchildren today.

Honey Butter Biscuits
Biscuits
1 tablespoon Honey, warmed
1/4 cup Lard
3/4 cup Butter
2 cups Flour
4 teaspoons Baking Powder
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 cup Buttermilk

Heat oven to 375-degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Warm honey, keep warm until ready to use. Chill lard and butter. Cut butter into small pieces, divide butter into 1/2-cup and 1/4 cup portions.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with flat beater, measure flour, baling powder, salt, baking soda and warm honey. Beat on low speed for 1 minute or until combined. Add lard and half-a-cup diced butter. Increase speed to medium, continue to mix until the dough appears sandy with small lumps of butter. Add buttermilk, mix for about 45 seconds or until a sticky dough forms.

Lightly flour a work surface. Turn dough out onto the floured surface, gently knead 6 or 7 times. Press dough into a 1-inch thick circle. Use a 2-1/4 inch biscuit cutter dusted lightly with flour to cut biscuits. Press down firmly to cut all the way through the dough. Reshape any scraps once, taking care not to overwork the dough, cut additional biscuits.

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Melt remaining quarter-cup butter, brush tops of biscuits with butter. Place in the heated oven to bake about 12 minutes or until golden brown and beautiful.

Honey Butter
1/2 cup softened Butter
1/4 cup Honey

While the biscuits bake, whip butter and honey together to create a smooth, sweet spread. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Remove biscuits from oven, let cool slightly on the baking sheet. Serve with honey butter. If desired, try these with roasted jalapenos for a real kick.

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Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous deeds.
And blessed forever be His glorious name;
may the whole earth be filled with His glory.