R32 
 
CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 924 062 873 694 
 
Oregon Agricultural College 
 
 Extension Service 
 
 PAUL V. MARIS 
 Director 
 
 Extension Bulletin 322 Corvallis, Oregon September, 1920 
 
 Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics. 
 Oregon Agricultural College and United States Department ol Agriculture, Cooperating 
 Printed and distri'buted in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 
 and June 30, 1914. 
 
 HONEY — NATURE'S OLDEST SWEET 
 
 -- By 
 
 MRS. SARA W./pRENTISS 
 Instructor ia HouseEold Science 
 
 Lucky, in these days of "out-of-sight" sugar prices, is the owner of 
 an apiary, whether large or small;, for honey is an excellent substitute 
 for sugar. The little busy bee is one producer who has not been con- 
 taminated by the contagious strike germ, and up to date we have not 
 heard of any profiteer cornering the honey supply. 
 
 It is true that honey when marketed brings even a higher price than 
 sugar, but on the farm where bees are usually a side line there is fre- 
 quently much good honey not in marketable condition. By using this 
 oldest of nature's sweets wherever possible the item of sugar may be 
 almost entirely eliminated from the grocery bill. 
 
 'The sugar in honey is not identical with cane sugar but is the 
 same as cane sugar that has gone through the first step in digestion. 
 For this reason in certain cases of digestive, disturbance honey can be 
 tolerated where ordinary sugar can not be borne. 
 
 Serving Honey. The simplest way of serving honey is as a spread 
 with bread or rolls. It is fine as a flavorer and sweetener of ice-cream, 
 gelatin desserts, and blanc manges. Honey combines particularly well 
 with oranges, apples, peaches, and dried fruits. In baking apples add 
 honey instead of sugar and, with cream, a dish "fit for the Queen" re- 
 sults. 
 
 Honey is especially convenient as a sweetener of summer drinks 
 since it is already in the form of a sirup. 
 
 Honey in Cookery. In substituting honey for sugar in cookery it 
 should be remembered that honey is heavier than sugar. One cup of 
 honey weighs about 12 ounces and contains 9 or 10 ounces of sugar, or 
 a little more than 1 cup of granulated sugar. Hence for sweetness it 
 may be substituted practically cup for cup. Allowance must be made 
 
for the fact that honey is 18 percent water, and in cookies, etc., less 
 liquid should, therefore, be used. For instance, in a recipe calling for 
 one cup of sugar and one of milk, one cup of honey and % of a cup of 
 milk should be used. 
 
 Since honey contains a small amount of acid, from % to % teaspoon 
 of soda with each cup of honey Is required in baking. Since honeys 
 differ in acidity, it is well to test out a small sample first. The addition 
 of some baking powder will give a lighter product. 
 
 Baked foods keep moist much longer when made with honey instead 
 of sugar. For this reason large quantities of honey are used by bakeries. 
 Spice cakes and cookies seem as a general rule to be most satisfactory. 
 Great care must be taken in baking any cake containing honey, for it 
 burns very readily and will darken considerably even before it scorches. 
 This is especially noticeable in white cakes and is one reason why they 
 are not so satisfactory as those meant to be dark. 
 
 The combining of materials for a honey cake is necessarily some- 
 what different from the method usually followed. For convenience it 
 is well to have the honey warm enough to allow it to be poured and 
 measured easily. Crystallized honey may be melted by heating in a 
 water-bath below the boiling point in order that the flavor may not 
 deteriorate. Shortening should be melted and added to the honey with 
 the milk or other liquid and the egg; then the flour and soda are added. 
 
 Fruits canned with honey are said to keep better and have a brighter 
 color than when sugar is used. 
 
 Care of Honey. Honey should be allowed to ripen before it is taken 
 from the hive; if not, it is likely to ferment. Store in a dry, warm place, 
 where it will keep for months. It may be placed in the refrigerator 
 for a few hours before serving to give it the thick, waxy texture liked 
 by most people. 
 
 Recipes. Farmers' Bulletin No. 653, "Honey and Its Uses in the 
 Home," published by the United States Department of Agriculture, gives 
 a selection of good recipes. Other recipes may be had bv writing to 
 almost any of the big honey producers. 
 
 Here are a few that have been tested and found good. 
 
 Honey Cookies 
 
 2^eS?^°"'^ 1 teaspoon soda 
 
 1/. „,,Zl ™ 1 7& teaspoon cinnamon 
 
 1^.,?n'^^fwv '^ y* teaspoon salt 
 
 2 IZX"^' relt'ed'TuTter ' '^^^ "o- <- — ^^ *» -"> 
 
 and L^nt.^Toiro'u'itt l^^ ^,^11^ ho't" o7en.""' ^°"'- "■^»"'- ^^'" ^>^--' -"• ^o^'^- 
 
 Honey Jumbles 
 
 2 teaspoons (level) soda l^nnnWnTf "^ w"^ 
 
 1 teaspooh salt 4 cups (ov less) flonr 
 
 Drop from teaspoon onto buttered pans. Bake in moderate oven. 
 
Honey Drop Cakes 
 
 %, cup honey 1 egg 
 
 14 cup butter, melted 1^ to 2 cups flour 
 
 V^ teaspoon cinnamon ^ teaspoon soda 
 
 Vs teaspoon cloves 1 cup raisins, cut small and floured 
 
 Mix honey and melted butter. Add egg, well beaten. Stir in sifted dry ingredi- 
 ents; add raisins. Drop teaspoon onto greased pan. Bake in moderate oven. 
 
 Honey Icing 
 
 1 cup sugar 14 cup honey 
 
 M, cup water 1 or 2 egg whites 
 
 Boil sugar and water for a few moments and then add honey. Cook until drops of 
 sirup keep their form when poured into cold water. (Be careful not to burn.) Beat 
 whjite of egg until stiff and pour sirup over it, beating constantly. 
 "* ' Remains soft for some weeks. ^ 
 
 Houey Baked Apples 
 
 8 medium-sized apples Cinnamon 
 
 % cup water 2 tablespoons butter 
 
 % cup honey 
 
 Pare, halve, and core apples and arrange in baking pan. Pour water into pan. 
 Put honey over apples. Dot with butter and dust* with cinnamon. Bake until done. 
 
 One Hour Graham Bread (with honey) 
 
 2 cxvps sour milk % cup honey 
 
 1% teaspoons soda 2 cups graham flour 
 
 1^ teaspoons salt 1^ cups white flour 
 
 1 teaspoon baking powder 
 
 Stir together and bake in greased pan one hour (moderate oven). 
 
 Boiled Honey Custard 
 
 2 cups milk ^ cup honey 
 
 3 egg yolks Va teaspoon salt 
 
 Mix honey, eggs, and salt. Scald milk and pour over eggs. Cook in double boiler 
 until it forms creamy layer on spoon. Suitable for use in place of cream on gelatin 
 desserts, or where any boiled custard sauce is wanted. 
 
W ^ Cornell University 
 WB Library 
 
 The original of tiiis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924062873694 
 
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