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Lisa
Messinger's
Cookbook Corner
Honey:
A Connoisseur's Guide With Recipes
by
Gene Opton (Ten Speed Press)
  Gene
Opton may look sweet on the outside (just look at the inviting photograph—complete
with straw hat—on her book jacket), but when it comes to honey,
she's one tough customer. It took a lot more than wallflower behavior
to obtain the gems (some of them rare) in her collection of 100-plus
varieties of honey. And she's no shy and retiring sweet tooth when
it comes to saying what she thinks.
In
what is probably the world's only book containing "varietal honey
tasting notes" (a la those compiled for fine wines), Opton distinguishes
between varieties that are silver spoon selections ("honey with
a flavor so nuanced that it is best appreciated in tiny discrete
amounts; honey that you would choose to eat from a spoon") and those
that are merely connoisseur selections ("honey with a distinctive
flavor, of interest to the most sophisticated palate, representing
a particular dimension in the range of flavor possibilities").
When
you're not sipping acacia (from Italy and France, it's white in
color and exceptionally smooth) or macadamia (from Hawaii where
the bee pollination implants a nutty flavor) from a spoon, Opton
also clues you in on what mixture of more widely available varieties
makes for informative comparative tastings (such as clover, tupelo,
sage and thyme, representing two floral and two herbal bouquets).
Or don't hesitate to create your own tasting from any combination
of varieties you find in your supermarket or gourmet shop.
First
take a look at the honey. The general rule is that the color of
the honey is a tip-off to the flavor: light is mild; golden is richer;
and dark is strong. Then smell the aroma in the jar. Afterward,
taste less than 1/8 teaspoon, allowing it to dissolve on the front
of your tongue. "Your taste buds respond as the honey dissolves,"
Opton writes. "You may smack your lips to sort out the full range
of flavor. As the honey flows to the back and sides of your mouth,
later-developing flavors appear. You may observe a lingering aftertaste."
In
between honeys, Opton suggests sipping hot black tea to clear the
palate and eating unsalted crackers. Once you get the hang of picking
which honey is best for you, you'll be enjoying meals that are a
lot more gourmet than tea and crackers.
Opton
and co-recipe developer Nancie Hughes have sweetened the pot with
chapters on delicious breads and muffins, fruits and vegetables,
main dishes, cookies and cakes, pies and tarts, and syrups and toppings.
Expect some taste sensations from these pros who know how honey
can be the sweet kiss to complete a gourmet dish.
Tomato
sherbet in avocado cups is a dynamite appetizer in which a few tablespoons
of honey intensify the fresh tomato flavor without adding undue
sweetness. Grand Marnier compote will entice the appetite. Peaches,
blueberries, orange and lemon juices are perfectly accented by Grand
Marnier and 1-1/2 tablespoons of honey. Nutmeg-coconut squares are
a real treat, as are a peach tart with nougat topping and a toasted
almond pumpkin flan.
The only thing that could have used a little beefing up (or "chickening"
or "turkeying") is the main dish chapter. There are just ten recipes
(really eight if you take away the recipes for fresh corn cakes
with honey and corn fritters, which are billed as side dishes.)
The eight are good, though, with choices including a wonderful caramelized
honey and herb sauce for pork chops, duck or turkey thighs; or pork
loin roasted with orange, ginger and honey. It's just that more
would have been welcome. What are welcome, though, if you want to
complete your education and become a true honey connoisseur, are
all the sweet tips Opton shares about the everyday delicacy as well
as her extensive mail-order list.
RECIPES
—Tomato
Sherbet in Avocado Cups
—Orange Muffins
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