The girls went out to pasture yesterday; not much grass, but they enjoyed what there was. Old Heather, Liz's retired show Jersey, led them out and brought them in. You gotta love a lead cow... It was nice to see them out there although it would have been better if they were at least ankle-deep in nice and green.
In between working on the big fence and getting them turned out Alan did some diagnostics on the Blue Bomber, which has been running kinda rough......(ya think?) He brought that spark plug in for show and tell and the main question we had was how and why it was running at all.
And then there's honey. The same boy with that nifty spark plug has been pestering me to make beef stir fry. I had a couple steaks left over from our last beefer, which was much better than the current one, so I sliced them up into thin slabs, fried them up fast and and added fresh broccoli, diced garlic, chopped walking onion tops and lots of sliced carrots.
However, I was at a loss for a sauce....bare cupboards and all. But there is always ketchup...which with added honey, spices, and vinegar can become almost anything.
I have several different sorts of honey. I love the stuff. It keeps forever and is good for so many things that it is a staple for us. Whenever I meet a local beekeeper at a fair or something I try to buy some. Younger brother sent down a jar from his own bees a while back and we hadn't opened it yet. It was the least crystalline of the bunch so I spooned out a bit to nuke and put in the sauce.
And a good cook has to taste. So I tasted the honey. (Have I mentioned that I love honey?) Holy cow! That is the best honey ever! Orange blossom, which is super good, and basswood (my previous favorite) move right on over. It tasted of spice and flowers and zingy sweetness that was simply incredible. It was like standing in a meadow full of wildflowers with the breeze and the bees buzzing around you and the sun shining down...plus cinnamon. How I wish you could taste just a little too, because it is totally amazing! Like the great outdoors in a spoon. Thanks bro...
He sure does love the bees, we have some new ones coming since we lost our last bunch. Glad you enjoy it and you have to let us know when you need more!
ReplyDeleteHey, your spark plug would have been a perfect addition to our salvage yard safari photos!
ReplyDeleteHusband says best honey he ever tasted was some Greek thyme honey a college friend shared. Friend's mom sent it from Athens because her kid was homesick for the flowers and fields of home.
Somewhere (outside of county and state fairs) there has to be a place where you can go to a honey tasting akin to wine tastings. The variety of honeys and their distinctive, subtle flavor differences would but a wine taster to shame.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it is definitely a case of "smaller is better." The large commercial honeys are all blah blends when compared to a local apiary or even a hobbyists product.
Here in Tioga County, PA we have Draper's Superbee Apiaries, Inc. (http://www.draperbee.com/), which, though running hundreds of hives, produces some mighty fine honey in a wide variety of flavors.
OMG. I have such a hankering for honey, now!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know there was 'basswood' honey.
Should have known, though.
I grew up under a huge basswood tree and remember the sound of the bees high up in the blossoms. Wow. Hadn't thought of that in years.
Truly? There is a lead cow. Too wonderful.
Wow! Sounds like SOME honey! Your description makes me hanker for some.
ReplyDeleteMy quad is running rough...wanna send that kid my way...I do beef stir fry too. I use to work at a government lab that tested honey and was AMAZED at all the different tastes and smells. My fav at the time was a sweet pea one.
ReplyDeleteI lost my honey source when the beekeeper retired. My new jar from the grocery store had an unusual flavor. Found out it was made in China. Threw it out.
ReplyDeleteLooking...
Lisa, thanks, have I mentioned that I love honey?
ReplyDeleteCaroline, sounds wonderful. Since I started paying attention I have been amazed at the array of excellent honeys available.
Joated, what a great idea! We have Rulison's honey here. there is excellent and I buy it when I can't find a little backyard beekeeper to buy from.
Cathy, there is even a honey from that Godawful Japanese knotweed that takes over the world if you let it. That is a dark, rich honey, not bad, but not a big favorite of mine either. I use the jar I bought mostly in cooking. And yes, a lead cow is a wonderful thing. Old Heather knows enough to take the cows to the various pastures when the gates are opened. Beats trying to chase them somewhere they don't want to go all hollow.
WW, it is amazing!
Linda, wish I could send him...he would love to go. lol Sounds like a really cool job, testing honey. I'll bet sweet pea would be good.
Jan, that is just terrible!!! This country desperately needs an enforced standard of identity for honey. Many of the imports, besides being adulterated with other sugars, contain all sorts of deadly chemicals not even used here. What a shame that you don't have a beekeeper now.