Spoonfuls of Honey

We loved Martha Kearney’s show The Wonder of Bees that was shown on BBC 4 earlier this year. The four part series followed a year of Kearney’s own bee-keeping adventures as well as demystifying the science and culture of these fascinating, ingenious creatures. It certainly made us rethink the brilliance of a jar of honey. So we were perhaps a bit more excited about a new honey-based cookbook than we may have been otherwise. Like Kearney’s show, Hattie Ellis’ Spoonfuls of Honey delves into the incredibly complex world of honey – from how it’s made to the myriad versions of honey from around the globe. But the bulk of this book is dedicated to recipes that include the more obvious uses (a scrumptious lemon and honey drizzle cake or a honey and fig frangipane tart) to more unusual ideas – adding honey and red wine to chorizo slice to create a delicious glossy glaze or honey roasted roots which entirely transforms a bowl of simple root veg into a brilliant side-dish – or, we found, a meal in itself. There’s nothing tricky here but plenty of great ideas to take away – and to revive a love of honey.