WILD HONEY REMEDIES
Everyone
knows that honey is great for the throat. Many professional singers use
honey regularly to soothe their vocal chords. The trick for a sore
throat, is to take a hot glass of milk and honey. Better still, add a
dash of brandy and you have an old remedy for influenza.
Honey is often relied on to ease the discomforts of asthma or hay-fever.
Pollen in the honey is thought to provide immunity to the same pollen
carried in the air. For this reason the honey taken must be untreated
and unstrained. Honey consumed direct from the comb may yield even
better results, for the wax itself is said to have properties which
further enhance those of it's pollen. The sugars in honey break down to
give special products that create
unfavourably conditions for bacteria. This is why, since ancient times,
wild honey has been used in a multitude of ointments to great effect for
healing minor cuts and scratches.
The simple sugar makeup of wild honey is also of great value for
digestive
disorders. Honey excites the appetite, aids digestion and provides quick
energy. As far back as 400BC, the well known physician Hippocrates
prescribed it as a cure for stomach ulcers.
COOKING WITH HONEY
The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all used honey extensively in cakes,
sweets, biscuits, wine and mead and even to make salted meat more
palatable. For baking, remember that slightly warmed honey will mix
easier with other ingredients. In general, honey can be substituted for
white sugar. Replace every 10oz (284g) of sugar with 8oz (227g) of honey
and reduce the liquid content in the recipe a little to allow for the
liquid in the honey. |