Buzz Off - By Hannah Reed Page 0,102
honey house, which I now own along with the rest of Queen Bee Honey.
• I have a new kayak. Yellow, of course.
• Hunter and I have started spending a lot of time together.
• Ben likes to come along.
The Wild Clover September Newsletter
SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL HONEY MONTH!
Notes from the beeyard: • This year’s batch of honey has been bottled and is on the shelves!
• Our honeybees are preparing for winter.
• Watch for news about upcoming honey tastings.
Here are a few simple honey concoctions: • Honey lemonade—stir ½ cup honey into 1 quart hot water. Squeeze in 4 lemons.
• Honey dressing for fruit salad—half honey, half lemon juice. Yogurt and cinnamon to taste.
• Caramel corn—heat ⅓ cup honey, ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter. Pour over popcorn.
• A tasty appetizer—slice of pecorino or parmigiano, slice of pear, drizzle with honey.
• Old-fashioned cough remedy: equal parts honey, lemon juice, and whiskey.
Honey Frozen Custard
The secret to Wisconsin’s famous frozen custard’s creamy texture is egg yolks and 10 percent butterfat. Here’s my take on this special regional treat.
6 eggs
⅔ cup honey
2 cups milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
Ice Cream Maker
Whisk together eggs and honey. Heat milk and 1¼ cups cream until almost simmering, stirring. Important! Unless you want honey scrambled eggs, make sure to SLOWLY add 1 cup of cream mixture to egg mixture, whisking. Add to pan and simmer until thick enough to coat spoon; continue to stir. Cool; chill in fridge at least one hour. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and remaining ¾ cup cream. Pour into ice cream maker, and follow those directions.
Honey Candy Bites
½ cup butter
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup honey
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups grated coconut
2 cups Rice Krispies (or Cornflakes), slightly crushed
In a large saucepan, melt butter and blend in flour, salt, honey, and milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until dough pulls away from sides of pan. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and 1 cup coconut. Cool for a few minutes and add cereal. Shape into 1-inch balls, roll in remaining ½ cup coconut. Store in refrigerator.
Apple Gingersnap Crunch
This is the best! It includes sugar and honey.
1 cup gingersnap cookies, crumbled
½ cup sugar
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
4 apples, cut into chunks
½ cup honey
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup pecans, chopped
Preheat over to 350°.
Mix cookie crumbs, ½ cup sugar, flour, and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly but holds together when pressed. Spread half over the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking dish and pack down lightly.
Mix together apples, honey, and cinnamon. Spread in pan. Add pecans to remaining cookie mix and spread over top.
Bake 50-60 minutes or until fruit is tender and topping is well browned.
Serve with frozen custard or ice cream.
Wild Grape Jam
At this time of the year, grapes are growing wild along Wisconsin back roads. They are free for the picking.
3 pounds wild grapes, a mix of ripe and partially ripe
½ cup water
1 cup honey per cup of juice (or to taste)
3 ounces liquid pectin
Stem and wash grapes. Slightly crush in the bottom of a pan, using a fork or potato masher. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain mixture through cheesecloth. Measure juicy pulp into a saucepan and add honey. Boil for 1 minute, then add pectin. Boil again for 1 full minute.
Notes from the garden: • Don’t forget to dry seeds from your flowers and vegetables for next year’s seed swap!
• One zinnia pod contains as many as one hundred seeds—and honeybees love zinnia nectar.
• Jalapeños are technically fruits, not vegetables.
• Use beet greens from your garden early and the beets will grow more tops.
Salsa to Die for
20 tomatillos
1 onion, quartered
2 jalapeños (or to taste)
4 Anaheim peppers
Cilantro (optional)
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 425°. Roast tomatillos, onion, and peppers for 15 minutes. Put in food processor with cilantro until coarsely chopped. Add salt.
Story’s Summertime Beet Soup
1 pound beets, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 Thai chili pepper (optional)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
Whipping cream
Chives
Put all ingredients except salt, pepper, cream, and chives into pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Add salt and pepper.
Cool slightly, strain, and reserve liquid from the pot; puree cooked vegetables in food processor. Combine liquid and vegetables, stir in a little whipping cream to taste. Serve warm or chilled. Garnish bowls with chives.
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Wisconsin Resources
Honey Acres
Kallas Honey Farm
Gilles Frozen Custard
Kopp’s Frozen Custard
Wisconsin Made
Basilica of Holy Hill
Rustic Roads
www.dot.wisconsin.gov/travel/scenic/rusticroads.htm
Harley Davidson
Ice Age Trail
About the Author
Hannah Reed lives on a high ridge in southern Wisconsin in a community much like the one she writes about. She is busy writing the second book in the Queen Bee Mysteries. Visit Hannah and explore Story’s world at www.hannahreedbooks.com.