Saturday, May 12, 2012

Raw Buckwheat Honey Review



Raw buckwheat honey in my book is an acquired taste; raw buckwheat honey has a deep, dark brown color, strong, pungent, molasses like earthy flavor, I found that it is very different from the wildflower and fruit blossom honeys. The flavor wavers toward the savory side rather than sweet aromatics of your typical honey. I decided to not use this for my sweet baked goods but instead for breads, barbeque sauce and other sauces that contain already pungent ingredients like dark beer and mustard.

I made a loaf of honey wheat bread and the depth of flavor was absolutely fantastic! The earthy flavor and the more subdued sweetness mad the bread great for toast and sandwiches. I have used the buckwheat honey as a glaze by itself on grilled meats that were prepped with a spicy dry rub, when the honey combined with the dry rub they created a barbeque sauce that was one of a kind. I also experimented with the honey by adding it to my honey mustard dressing recipe and now it is a staple in my home.

Not all honey is created equal and that is the case for the raw buckwheat honey, although it is honey it is not one that should be used to substitute a wildflower honey because it is very, very different; Though in the right application it adds an extraordinary dimension to a dish.
Buckwheat is also known in the holistic medicine world as a wonder drug of sorts because it has a high in mineral content and antioxidant compounds. When I was sick with a chest cold I could not stop coughing! I tried all of the over the counter cough syrups with no avail, then I tried the raw buckwheat honey as a cough syrup and it worked better than the store bought cough syrups. I have recommended this to several of my friends and they too have confirmed that it truly worked.

If you are planning to use buckwheat honey for its health-benefits, make sure the label states raw honey because that is specific type you need. This is because heating of any honey (pasteurization) destroys the all of the pollen, live enzymes, propolis, vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, minerals, and aromatics; these are the important parts to receive the health benefits. Mohawk Valley Trading Company’s raw buckwheat honey is the same as it was in the hive.

You might be wondering what exactly is Buckwheat? Buckwheat is neither a grass nor wheat, but is a fruit related to rhubarb it was one of the first crops cultivated in the United States. Dutch colonists brought buckwheat to North America where they planted it along the Hudson River. Buckwheat was sometimes called beech wheat, because its seeds look like small beech nuts. Buckwheat was an important crop in the U.S. until the demand declined in the 1960's. Today, it is primarily grown in Northern states such as New York, where the Mohawk Valley Trading Company’s buckwheat apiaries are located.

Buckwheat seeds are also used or making gluten free flour and buckwheat blossoms are an excellent source of nectar and blooming can continue well into the autumn.

Try this recipe out for yourself; you will be presently surprised how well the buckwheat honey flavor works!


Milk and Buckwheat Honey Loaf
Makes 1 loaf
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup raw buckwheat honey
Directions:

Grease a 7 by 3-inch loaf pan. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Put the wheat flour in a mixing bowl. Sift the white flour, baking powder, and salt over the wheat flour.
Measure the milk in a 2-cup measure and incorporate the buckwheat honey at a drizzle.
Pour the milk and honey mixture into the flour and beat until well combined. Pour into the loaf pan and bake 40 to 50 minutes, until humped and well browned.

No comments: