September is here which means that fall is just around the corner. It’s this time of the year when everyone is thinking about all those yummy fall flavors, like apples, pears and pumpkins, oh my! And what pairs better with all of fall’s best flavors than honey?
Did you know that in addition to the beginning of corn maze, pumpkin patch, and tailgating season, September is also National Honey Month? That’s right; we’ve been celebrating mother nature’s sweetener all month long!
The National Honey Board (NHB) has always recognized the importance of honey bees to our food supply and the benefits of honey in our diets. So, in 1989, the NHB worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to give honey and the bees who make it the praise they’re due and thus, September was officially deemed National Honey Month. We’re sure some of you are wondering, “Why September?” The answer’s quite fitting, really – it’s because much of our U.S. honey is harvested during this time.
While honey bees are known for the delicious liquid gold of their namesake, their pollination work is invaluable (but if you had to put a number on it, it’s estimated to be worth approximately $17 billion). Honey bees spend the majority of the year pollinating an impressive 35% of the global food supply. In fact, 90 different crops are reliant on beekeepers and honey bees for pollination, including many of our favorite fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes. From apples and cherries in Washington, and blueberries in the Midwest, to pumpkins and cranberries along the east coast, honey bees pollinate crops in all 50 states, many of them taking different paths throughout the pollination season. You can learn more about journeys they take here.
Now more than ever, people are looking for natural ingredients and it’s hard to imagine anything more pure and natural than one-ingredient honey. Honey is a back-to-basics ingredient that people can feel good about using in both culinary applications, as well as finding new and innovative ways. Whether it’s adding an extra touch of sweetness to your favorite apple pie, extending the shelf life of your famous pumpkin loaf (hopefully with cream cheese in the middle), or balancing out your most complex cocktail recipe, honey’s versatility in the kitchen makes it the fall staple you never knew you had.
In honor of our favorite ingredient, we’ve got 12 recipes that not only highlight some of the season’s best produce and flavors, but also highlight honey’s benefits and versatility. These recipes are sure to keep your hearts warm and your bellies full.
We want to hear from you! What are your favorite fall dishes? Sound off in the comments section below. And as the popular saying goes, “Happy Fall, y’all!”
