One Ingredient: Honey

Photos by Linda Campos / Styled by Catrine Kelty

I’ve never thought of honey as problematic. What's not to like about a flavor-packed natural sweetener that also happens to be Winnie the Pooh’s favorite food?

It turns out honey has some haters. For one, famed food writer Ruth Reichl has always loathed the stuff. On a recent podcast with actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Reichl likened its taste to “leaping into a mud puddle which turns out to be deeper than you thought it was.”

Have you ever heard of such a thing?

I asked around to see if anyone else I knew shared this distaste, only to discover that my sister isn’t a fan either. I just don’t get it.

When I want a little sweetness, honey gives me that—and more. The full-bodied, amber nectar adds depth and character to anything it touches, from grilled meats to salad dressings to drinks. In its natural, raw state, it contains hundreds of flavor compounds, aromatics, enzymes and organic acids. And just like the concept of terroir in wine, the product reflects the climate and landscape from which it is sourced.

To say you hate honey is like saying you hate people. Surely you just haven’t found the right friends.

For those siding with Reichl and my sister, I challenge you to view honey as a vast category rather than a single, homogenous product. In Massachusetts alone we have over 6,000 beekeepers managing up to 45,000 hives. All these bees feed on a variety of plants at different times, including wildflowers, black locust or basswood, to name just a few. When sequestered, harvested and labeled as “mono-floral” or “single-source,” each one has a distinctive flavor. Some, like white clover, can be mild. Others, like Japanese knotweed, can be intensely aromatic and robust. There is so much variety! Taste a bunch and you’ll be surprised what you discover.

Once you find your favorite varietal (and I know you will), a slew of nutritional and medicinal benefits awaits. Unlike sugar, honey contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Modern studies show clinical evidence of its anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic and antibacterial properties. No wonder ancient Greek and Egyptian cultures valued it for its wound- and disease-healing abilities. It’s practically a magic potion.

I hope I’ve convinced any naysayers to give honey another chance. If not, I’m confident these summer recipes will bring you around. One taste of the grilled peaches with feta and ginger honey, or the honey semifreddo with pistachios and raspberries, and Reichl’s murky mud puddle will feel more like a pristine, blue ocean.

This story appeared in the Summer 2024 issue.