Flower honey
Honey is made from the nectar of flowers, collected by honey bees. There are many different varieties of flower honey available and their colour, flavour and sweetness depend on the type of flower the nectar was collected from and the colour of the pigments in the plant. Clear and set flower honeys differ in their texture due to varying amounts of natural sugars. Clear honey is often the preferred choice for cooking because it is runny and easier to pour. A wide variety of different flower honey is available from Waitrose, including Waitrose Select Honeys which have been chosen from floral sources around the world, each with a unique and distinctive flavour. Floral honey available from Waitrose includes:
French sunflower
A rich golden set honey with a distinctive floral aroma.
Orange blossom
This clear honey is collected from hives in the orange groves of Mexico. It has a deliciously distinctive orange flavour and a light amber colour.
Scottish heather
A Waitrose Select honey which is gathered from the moorlands around the Grampian Mountains during August and September. Heather honey has a distinctive thick consistency with a rich flavour - slightly bitter with a pleasing aftertaste of burnt caramel.
Spanish lavender
A Waitrose Select honey produced from mauve and purple wild lavender flowers which grow along the Mediterranean coast of Spain during May and June. The honey has a delicate sweet flavour, reminiscent of lavender.
Uses: Flower honey is a versatile ingredient and as well as being popular served on toast, it can be used in a range of ways. Use it in sweet and savoury marinades, sauces, ice cream, puddings, to sweeten fruit and natural yogurt and in cakes and bakes.
To store: Keep flower honey in a cool dark dry place and use by the best before date. If clear honey goes cloudy, simply place the jar in a jug of very hot water for a few seconds and it will return to its original state.