In deciding what to stock in my pantry, I try to have healthy and nutritious items. Last week I mentioned sweeteners; specifically Agave Nectar, which I have never tried, and Maple Syrup which we use all the time. There are many other sweeteners and as one reader pointed out you can even grow your own Stevia as a sweetener. I may have to try that this year.
This week I will talk about honey and corn syrup.
Honey
Honey is something we always have in our pantry. We used to keep bees and may have bees again. Once you get used to having your own local honey you can’t go back to the mass-produced honey that might be coming from China!
Bees using nectar from flowers make honey. Bees have a two miles radius so they will collect nectar from all the flowers they find in that area. The type of honey you collect from the bees varies depending on the flowers available to them in that radius.
Honey is slightly sweeter than sugar so less can be used to achieve the same sweetness intensity. Honey not only imparts a unique flavor to any dish, but is also balances and enhances the flavor properties of other ingredients used in a recipe. Honey acts as a binder and thickener for sauces, dressing, marinades and dips. It also provided and retains moisture to a variety of dishes and can even extend the life of baked goods. We enjoy a cup of tea each evening with a spoonful of honey.
In addition to being a great sweetener, honey also has a multitude of benefits that many people don’t know about. Honey has been proven to be a natural throat soother. It provides quick energy and the next time you get a burn rub it with honey, the pain will go away immediately! You can see why we are now buying our honey in bulk from a local beekeeper!
Corn Syrup
Corn syrup is made when cornstarch is broken down into glucose. You can buy both light and dark corn syrup, the light corn syrup may have vanilla flavoring added, while the dark corn syrup has a stronger natural flavor. The advantage of corn syrup over sugar is its resistance to crystallization. Regular syrups sold in bottles are a home cook’s ultimate resource in baking cakes and making candy from scratch. Unlike other sweeteners, corn syrup does not crystallize upon use or cause any grainy texture in foods.
High-fructose corn syrup is distinct from corn syrup in that it is created by enzymatic processing, producing a sweeter compound that contains higher levels of fructose. High fructose corn syrup is rarely sold directly to consumers, although it can be found in a majority of processed foods sold in grocery stores.
I have a bottle of corn syrup in my pantry but I really don’t use it much. I find I can usually substitute maple syrup or molasses in most recipes. If you do make candy and want to use corn syrup did you know there is a corn syrup substitute? Alea Milham has a wonderful recipe on her blog Premeditated Leftovers.
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Nancy on the Home Front 