You may have heard the talk around town lately. People dropping quips and phrases about “granularized,” “crystallized,” or “set” honey. Or, at least that’s the type of talk that happens around our booth at the farmers market (come visit us if you’re around Denver! Cherry Creek on Saturdays and City Park and Stapleton on Sundays). But even if your not the busy bee in the honey circle, we bet that if you’ve ever bought raw honey you’ve seen your honey in a “set” state (see below left).

Tamarisk Honey

So what is granulalized honey?

Raw honey will solidify overtime. The texture becomes grainy and thick when the natural sugars found in honey crystalize. And depending on the flower source, honey will have different proportions of glucose which will cause the honey to set faster. For example, we have noticed that mesquite honey tends to granulate much faster than our other honeys.

What does this mean for honey eaters?

One. We exploit this property of honey to make a wonderful creamy, whipped or spun honey (ie our White Honey, and look out for a post on our White Honey).

Two. You can gently re-heat the honey so that it returns to its liquid state. Use caution here. Avoid microwaving or boiling the honey. Hot temperatures will destroy the raw honey’s natural nutritional punch. We recommend heating a pan of water on the stove top, bringing it to a boil, removing it from the burner, and letting it sit a few minutes. After the water has cooled some, then put your jar of honey into the warm water. You may have to do this a few times to get the honey back to its liquid state. Be patient, it’s worth it! Remember honey does not go bad.

Three. Embrace the change in texture and enjoy it! Now you can eat the same honey but with a completely different texture. Once honey becomes solid, some of us cut it with a knife and eat it like candy.

Whatever you decide, we hope you enjoy the honeys. Let us know what your favorite types of honey are, and if you have any “set” honey stories to share.

If there is a trend for 2011, it’s tasting parties and to push it even further, Food and Wine Magazine listed “homemade honey” as a top trend in 2011, specifically starting in May. The following are guidelines, tasting notes, pairing ideas which will ultimately help you set the stage to host a Honey Tasting Party in your own home.

Hosting a Honey Tasting Party

Varietal Honeys

Start with the main ingredient: honey. You’ll want to showcase and highlight it at its prime so choose to serve and taste a reasonable amount. Consider tasting 4-6 varieties as to not overwhelm your palate. Consider purchasing varietal honeys from around the country that have specific flavors present.

After purchasing your honey, transfer each honey into a tasting container. This is where you can get really creative! You’ll want to find containers that highlight the color, clarity and consistency of the honey. Think small champagne glasses, cute ramekins, or you can even serve on small plates that offer dividers, such as these ceramic palettes. Have small plastic spoons for guest to dip in the honey.

More Than Just Honey

Not only will your party be about the honeys, but you’ll learn about great foods to pair with honey. When pairing foods and condiments, you are either searching for a perfect balance, harmonious flavors that complement each other. Other times, you want to shock you palate and present it with intense flavors that are balanced out with exact opposites.

Pairing Ideas for Tasting Varietal Honeys

Cheeses

• Blue Cheeses, such as Roquefort will be balanced out with a nutty honey, such as our White Honey
• Hard Cheeses, such as Parmesano-Reggiano, pair nicely with herbal honey
• Soft Cheeses, such as Ricotta and Burrata, go well with honeys with citrus undertones. Try the Chamiso “Rabbit Brush” Honey
• Stinky but delicious cheeses, such as an Époisses de Bourgogne can be paired with a honey with some muskiness such as our Colorado Clover Honey.

Bread and Crackers

• Great vehicle for honey, dipping bread into warmed honey is a simple pleasure. Taste some local sourdough bread with a honey that will pop, such as Grampa’s Tamarisk Honey

Chocolate

• Balance the sweetness of certain honeys with a dark 70% or more chocolate bar.

Charcuterie

• Smoked, Salted or Cured meats are a perfect choice when pairing honey because of their opposite flavors and each balancing each other out.

Desserts

• Sweet items should be prepared beforehand and served accordingly. Highlight not only the honey flavor, but play on the texture and viscosity of it as well. Some sweet treats to try: Baklava, Honey Caramels or Fritters in Honey Syrup.

Liquid Pairings

Not only can you pair honey with solid foods, you can also pair honeys with beverages. Use it as a natural substitute for simple syrup in drinks. Not only will you use much less, but your flavors will be heightened by the natural syrup. Showcase drinks with seasonal fruits and herbs, like mojitos and sweeten them with honey. Your guests will be surprised and you’ll even be improving their health. Here are some drinks to serve: Mojitos, Mint Juleps, and Sangria.

Party Set-up

• Glassware/Serving Pieces: Choose glassware according to beverages served. As for serving pieces, each guest should receive their own palette of honeys, going from lightest in colors to deepest in color.
• Have glass water pitchers for guests to clean their palates between tastings.
• Develop a Honey Tasting Notes worksheet or use this one to track your favorites, jot down perfect (or horrible) pairings and to take notes of flavors!

Honey Tasting Notes Template

Remember the party is about discovering your favorite honeys, pairings and learning about varietal honey as a new staple in your kitchen!

Our friends at Cured (a new cheese/gourmet food shop opening in Boulder this summer), recently helped host a Spring Harvest Dinner at Mateo Restaurant in Boulder, and they put together an impressive cheese plate – all with awesome Colorado ingredients, including our own Chamiso honey.

Cheese Plate with Chamiso Honey at Mateo Restaurant in Boulder

The plate was composed of Lamborn Bloomers from Avalanche Cheese Company, Dulcinea from Lark’s Meadow Farm, Leyden from James Ranch. Paired with Il Mondo Vecchio‘s Sopressate, MMLocal beets, Isabelle Farm‘s radishes and Grampa’s Gourmet Chamiso Honey.

Thanks Cured, can’t wait for the store to open!