September is National Honey Month! This guide has everything you need to know about pairing honey and cheese.
For over 30 years, September has been National Honey Month. Beginning in 1989, the National Honey Board created this holiday as a way to promote beekeeping, the beekeeping industry and of course, honey!
Honey is one of the few foods in the world that never spoils, and it takes roughly 22,700 bees to fill a single jar of honey. Honey bees perform about 80% of the world's pollination, which means that we have bees to thank for every one-in-three bites of food that we eat. Honey bees pollinate crops such as cranberries, apples, blueberries and cherries.
Besides making delicious honey, bees are a very big part of our agricultural system. contributing an estimated $20 billion per year to the U.S. agricultural efforts. It is no wonder that honey bees contribute so much to society as they are born ready to work and with their own specific roles already assigned. A honey bee colony will consist of three different types of bees: The Queens, Workers, and Drones.
The Queens are the only members of a colony able to lay fertilized eggs and can produce up to 2,000 eggs in a day. A queen is very important in establishing a strong honey bee colony. Worker honey bees are all female and their job is to collect pollen and nectar from flowers, build and protect the hive, and other tasks to preserve the survival of the colony. Drones are all male bees and they only have one job, to fertilize new queens. During the spring and summer months, a colony can contain roughly 80,000 bees. Sadly, the world has been seeing a decline in colonies for last few years.
This September, give bees a chance and celebrate honey by enjoying the delicious duo that is honey and cheese.
Flory's Truckle is a nutty, crumbly aged cheddar with a sharp and slightly-sweet taste and crunchy protein crystals throughout. Balance the sharp, nutty flavor of this cheese with Buckwheat honey. Jacobsen's Raw Buckwheat Honey is "dark and earthy, with deep molasses overtones". Sharp cheddar and molasses is an odd combination that works so well, so sharp cheddar and buckwheat honey is a natural pairing.
Pictures courtesy of Milton Creamery & Jacobsen Co.
2. Point Reyes Original Blue & Honeycomb
Blue cheese is one of those cheeses that you can pair with almost every honey! The sweet flavor of honey balances the tangy funky flavor of blue cheeses. Enjoying blue cheese with honey comb offers contrasting texture and flavor. Point Reyes Original Blue, with its very creamy texture and medium to strong blue mold flavor, goes oh so well with sweet, gooey honey comb.
Picture courtesy of Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.
Fromager d'Affinois is full of buttery flavor and ultra creamy texture, making it the perfect blank slate for a variety of pairings. Enjoying it with The Truffleist Truffle Honey is a truly elegant experience. Creamy, buttery, sweet and earthy all in one bite. Enjoy it on a toasted baguette or a crispy cracker for added texture.
Images courtesy of Fromager d'Affinois and The Truffleist.
"Lioni’s all natural burrata cheese is a fresh mozzarella filled with a light and creamy authentic panna di latte and pasta filata." Mike's Hot Honey has just the right amount of spice, meaning that it will compliment--not overpower--the delicate, mild and creamy flavor of Burrata.
Images courtesy of Lioni Latticini, Inc. and Mike's Hot Honey.
This is the ultimate pairing for honey lovers! Simple and satisfying, the sweetness of pure, clover blossom honey is perfectly paired with the tart creaminess of fresh chèvre. Heighten the flavor of clover blossom honey by adding a dollop of clover honey over Lille Goat Honey goat cheese.
Images courtesy of Lille Goat Cheese and Chico Honey Co.
Cherry Blossom Honey is fruity with a nutty finish that goes wonderfully compliments Gruyère. Similarly to the cherry blossom honey, Gruyère is nutty and slightly-sweet. Bee Seasonal has a wonderful range of lesser-known organic honeys if you're looking to try something a bit different!
Images courtesy of Le Gruyère AOP and Bee Seasonal Honey.
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