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RIBA Presents: Hive Products for Health & Beauty
EAS Master Beekeeper, Scott Langlais discusses management tips and considerations in the use of honey, beeswax, pollen, and propolis in a presentation from October of 2021. https://youtu.be/_1PF6hdoXAQ
Honey Ointment: Ointment Preparation and Wound Dressing Tips
Dr. Allen Dennison (Internal Medicine, Medical Director, Evergreen House Health Center, Life Care Centers of America, East Providence, RI) discusses “The Science Behind Honey” in this post, and you can find a recipe here.
Honey Lemon Propolis Cough Drops
Click here to view / download a .pdf of this recipe.
From unknown contributor
Honey What Have You Bran Muffins
2 cups Bran cereal, crushed
1½ cups Milk or juice
¼ cup Honey
¼ cup Butter, softened (½ stick)
1 large Egg
1½ cups Flour
½ cup Brown sugar
1½ tsp Baking soda
¼ tsp Salt
¼ tsp +/- Cinnamon or favorite spices
¼ – ½ cup Craisins, raisins, dates, etc.
½ cup +/- Fruit (apple, banana, etc.) -chopped
¼ cup Nuts if desired -chopped
Soak the bran in the milk or juice while you are gathering and preparing the other ingredients. Heat your oven to 400F at the appropriate time according to your oven. Blend cereal together with honey, butter, egg, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and spice. Don’t worry about over beating. Fold in the fruit and nuts, scoop (I use an ice cream scoop) into muffin cups (oil the cups well or line with paper liners). Depending on how many extras you add, you will yield 15 to 18 standard muffins (bake 14 to 18 min.) or 24 to 30 mini-muffins (bake 10-15 min.) Feel free to experiment with the what-have-yous and adjust the baking times. Muffins are pretty much done when they bulge and crack open on top, but if in doubt, test with a toothpick.
From Lori Dobson
Mead
Thank you to Peter Girouard and Joe Zadrozny for a great demonstration of making Blackberry Mead, taste testing of the Orange Clove Mead, and providing the following materials!
Equipment, Basic Ingredients, and Procedure
Recipes for both the Blackberry and Orange Clove Mead
Other Resources about Mead
No Bake Energy Bites
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Stir in medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Let chill for half an hour, roll into 1″ balls. Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. Yields 20-25 bites.
From Jeff McGuire
Basic Lotion Bar
3 oz beeswax, 2 oz cocoa butter, 3 oz oil (sweet almond, coconut, mineral). Melt and blend together over low heat, pour into silicone molds.
From Christine Dwyer
Decongestant
1 cup honey
1 cup lemon juice
5 – 7 radishes
1 small red onion
6 cloves of garlic
Blend or process, then strain. Keep up to 7 days then freeze.
From a neighbor
Honey Pie or Melopita (meh-LOH-peeta)
Part custard, part cheesecake, a Honey Pie or Melopita (meh-LOH-peeta) is so versatile that you will find yourself trying it many ways. You can make this like a pie with a bottom and/or top crust. You can try it as a tart as I make it. Or you can make it without a crust entirely as it is enjoyed on the island of Sifnos in Greece. Either way, it is sure to please.
Traditionally this is made with soft Myzithra (mee-ZEE-thra) cheese, but if that is not readily available, use Ricotta cheese as a great substitute. You can substitute the crust with a prepared pie shell.
I’ve made this recipe several times and it’s always the first dessert to disappear. I’ve brought it to meeting twice so far and thought I’d share it this time with other members. I make it as a bottom crust pie with ricotta; very quick and easy using a pie shell! Καλή όρεξη (Bon Appertit) in Greek
Frank Macera
For the Filling:
1 lb. Myzithra cheese (soft, or Ricotta cheese)
3 eggs (lightly beaten)
1/2 cup honey
1 lemon (the zest, grated)
3 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup sugar
Garnish: cinnamon (ground)
Garnish: honey
For the Crust:
1 1/4 cup flour (all-purpose)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg (just the yolk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. brandy (or cognac) (optional)
2 tbsp. water (iced)
8 tbsp./1 stick butter (unsalted, cut into 1/4 inch pieces)
Steps to Make It
Preheat the oven to 350 F
To make crust in Food Processor:
1. Add flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl. Pulse a few times to mix.
2. Add chilled butter pieces and process until crumbly, like wet sand.
3. Add egg yolk, vanilla, brandy, and 1 tbsp. ice water.
4. Process until dough pulls together and forms a ball away from the sides.
5. Add an additional tbsp. of water if it seems too dry.
6. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten dough into a round disk.
7. Chill dough while you prepare the filling.
To make the crust by hand:
1. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, and salt. Mix to combine.
2. Add the butter pieces and using two forks or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour. (You can also use your hands for this.) The mixture should resemble coarse sand when the butter is incorporated fully.
3. Add egg yolk, vanilla, brandy, and water and mix to incorporate, kneading dough into a smooth ball.
4. Flatten into a round disk and chill while mixing the filling.
To make the Filling:
1. In a medium sized bowl add Myzithra or Ricotta cheese, eggs, honey, lemon zest, flour, and sugar. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
2. Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough to the approximate size of your baking pan. I use a 10-inch tart circle with a removable bottom. You can substitute a spring form pan, a round cake pan, or even a pie dish.
3. Lightly grease the pan’s bottom and sides. Your dough should be large enough to push up the sides of your pan. The easiest way to transfer the dough from the counter to the pan is to roll it back onto your rolling pin and then unroll it over the pan.
4. Press the dough into the sides and bottom of the pan.
5. Add filling and bake in a preheated 350 F oven until the filling sets (it won’t jiggle in the center) and it begins to turn a golden brown color. Baking times will vary according to the size you choose to make. For a 10-inch tart, it should take around 40 minutes. A deeper, 9-inch pie plate could take up to 50 minutes. Be sure to monitor your pie after 35 minutes of baking time.
Serve on a plate drizzled with honey and sprinkle with ground cinnamon.