A Description of Our Honey Products

Appetizers 

Charcuterie boards are on almost every appetizer table these days.  Honey is strong enough to  stand up to spicy meats and gentle enough not to overpower delicate cheeses.  Try some of these options on your charcuterie board.  

~Bee Stinger over Goat Cheese- I get RAVE review about this less than 5-minute appetizer.  It could not be easier or faster.  Open some Goat Cheese, generously pour Bee Stinger over it, serve with crackers and prepare for accolades!  (You can use cream cheese if you aren't a goat cheese fan like I am.). Seriously, this is the fastest, best appetizer ever to take to a party…. I don’t pour the Bee Stinger over the cheese until I'm at the party, and I leave the rest of the jar for the hostess.  Tip: If you are in Maine, look for Fuzzy Udder Goat Cheese, it’s the best I've ever eaten!  

~Sweet Curry Brie- Add curry powder to Bee Stinger to taste and mix in finely chopped dried fruits and nuts (I like apricots and raisins and cashews).  Pour over Brie (or any soft cheese like cream cheese) and serve with crackers.  To make it extra special, can also top the Brie with the curried honey and wrap in puff pastry, bake it according to the directions on the puff pastry box.  With or without the extra step of puff pastry, it is a gorgeous centerpiece to your appetizer tray. 

~Stuffed Dates/Figs-  Slice open pitted dates or soft figs to form a pocket.  Put a small amount of any Maine Mousse into the pocket and add a whole almond or any nut.  You can wrap it in a piece of prosciutto and secure it with a toothpick, but I like them just with the honey and almond.  

~Sausage Bites-  We happen to get some amazing sausages from fellow vendors at our local farmers markets. We often serve the sausages with a small dish of Bee Stinger or Runny honey for dipping, or even add a bit of mustard or horseradish to the Runny honey for a different taste.  The combination of honey and  organic sausages from local farms is so very good. In a pinch, we’ve used good ole’ store bought Lil’ Smokies and after heating them in a sauté pan, drizzling them with Bee Stinger.  Toothpicks optional!

~Blue Crostini Bites-Toast slices of a baguette under the broiler. Turn them over and place a small slice of prosciutto or cooked bacon, a very, very thin slice of pear or apple and a sprinkle of of blue, feta or Parmesan cheese.  Broil just until the cheese starts to bubble.  Drizzle with just a bit of our raw ‘runny’ honey.   

~Chicken Wings- Bee Stinger on Chicken Wings is amazing, even the frozen ones from the store. The air fryer works great on these.   

Drinks

Honey is a great addition to tea or lemonade.  It also opens us a whole new way to enjoy your evening cocktails! As I mentioned earlier, creamed honey mixes into cold drinks much easier if you use the immersion blender (or regular blender) or mix the honey with a bit of warm water before adding. Using the blender actually creates a frothy consistency that I love.

~Mousse Martinis- Add ½-1 T (or to taste)of your favorite Maine Mousse to your favorite martini to create a signature Maine drink.  

• Our Barters Island friends and neighbors, Ken and Dave served us what we now call the Maine Mousse Blueberry Martini…made, of course, with Blueberry-Lemon Maine Mousse.  It’s so pretty with a spiral of lemon peel and a  sprig of mint and, of course,  a few bobbing blueberries.  It was so delicious that we now make it for our guests! 
•  Your ginger-loving friends will love our Gingersnap Mousse Martinis…made with Gentle Ginger with a piece of candied ginger and a mint sprig on a toothpick as a stir stick.  
• For the holidays, what could be more gorgeous than a Cranberry Orange Mousse Martini decorated with an orange peel and a few cranberries?  That’s right.  The answer is nothing!  

~Bee Stinger Margaritas- A margarita is my favorite mixed drink!  We use the classic 3-2-1 recipe -3 parts tequila- 2 parts of a good orange liqueur like Cointreau and 1 part lime juice. It makes the perfect margarita! But I discovered spicy margaritas a few years ago, and I’ve never looked back. Adding Bee Stinger Honey to the basic margarita puts it over the top! First, rub the rim of your glass with Bee Stinger before dipping it in salt or sugar. For the drink, make your margarita using my recipe or one you like but add 1/2 to 1 T of Bee Stinger into the recipe,  (1 T will make it pretty spicy so start with less…) You can add an extra squeeze of lime if the drink is too sweet.  The immersion blender make quick work of the mixing.  And it’s so pretty.  

~Buoy Bee Bourbon-It could not get simpler than adding a small bit of honey, in your favorite flavor, to Makers Mark or a bourbon of your choice.  A quick squeeze of lemon adds just the right balance to the honey.  

Salads

There are so many, many ways that I have used Maine Mousse or plain 'runny' raw honey in my salads.  I love simple, clean salad dressings that let the flavors of my salad come through. For my honey based salad dressings, I usually use a mild oil and rice wine vinegar (not flavored) to let other ingredients shine! But if you live in or visit Boothbay Harbor, Eventide Specialties offers the most delicious oils and vinegars you have ever tasted. 

The Basic Recipe for a large salad is: 

½ c oil (I use a mild olive oil or avocado oil)

1/3 c. unflavored rice wine vinegar- or any vinegar or any vinegar you prefer

1-1 ½  T (or to taste) Maine Mousse- I use 1½ T but I like the flavor of the honey to register a bit more .

Greens- I usually use leafy greens like butter lettuce, but also include other options in the recipes below

Salt and to taste

I almost always add other ingredients to my salads. I add items that I know will complement the salad, including additional vegetables, various cheeses, nuts, fruits, olives, capers, herbs and spices.  I've provided some of my favorite combinations in the salad recipes below, but experiment to find your favorites!

~I use a 2 cup measuring cup and an immersion blender (or regular blender) to mix all the ingredients.

~Made-in-Maine Blueberry-Lemon Salad

Make the basic recipe above using Blueberry Lemon Maine Mousse. (Using Blueberry Balsamic vinegar from Eventide is amazing in this recipe). Use a leafy, tender lettuce for this salad and crumbled goat cheese (from Fuzzy Udder if you can get it), pecans and fresh blueberries as a topping.  

~Orange Cranberry Maine Mousse Fennel Salad (the salad I love best!)

Fennel makes a delicious salad!  For this salad, you will need:

1 large Fennel bulb,a mild olive oil, orange juice, a navel orange, black olives, preferably Kalamata,  a red onion and nuts.  ( I love pistachios on this salad.) and  of course, Orange/Cranberry Maine Mousse

-Use a very sharp knife or a mandoline to slice a bulb of fennel into super thin slices.  

-Make your dressing

• 1-1 ½ T of Orange Cranberry Maine Mousse
• 1/2 c mild olive oil,
• 1/3 c orange juice
• 2 t orange zest (optional but do good!)
• salt to taste

Blend the dressing together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Mix the fennel into the dressing and let it rest for a half hour or more to let the salt soften the fennel a bit.)  

-Assemble salad by placing lettuce leaves on a plate.  Top with dressed fennel mixture. Top with: fresh orange segments, black olives, a few very thinly sliced red onions, dried cranberries and pistachios(or other nuts).

~Fall Harvest Salad with Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice Maine Mousse

Make a basic dressing using Cinnamon Maine Mousse.  I sometimes substitute Apple Cider Vinegar in this recipe, but if you can get the Apple Balsamic from Eventide, that’s the way to go!  I can’t say enough about this vinegar  Make your salad with the following:

• A firm lettuce like romaine or arugula. 
• a sweet, crisp apple cut into bite size pieces (I don’t peel them)
• thin slices of carrot
• 1/4 c pumpkin seeds or walnuts (I don’t always toast them, but they are better when I do!)
• Cheese of your choice- I like  blue cheese but cheddar is also great.
• Optional but excellent- a cup or so of roasted bite-size pieces of butternut squash or sweet potato. The salad is good without these, but the addition is over the top good!

~Asian Inspired Salad

I love Asian food!  It is so simple and fresh tasting.  I make this salad to serve with fish and rice.  Blend your recipe for the dressing:

- I use 1/2 c avocado or vegetable oil instead of olive oil, and I also add 2 T of sesame oil.  

-1/3 c rice vinegar

-Add 1-1 ½  T of soy sauce and 1 T of either Orange Cranberry or Gentle Ginger Maine Mousse to your rice vinegar..

-Assemble your salad using

• Use a firm lettuce like iceberg or romaine, shredded Napa cabbage or a combination.
• Top  with crisp thinly sliced veggies like bell pepper, cucumber, celery, and lots of scallions.  

-Toss the salad with the dressing and top with sliced almonds and crispy Chinese fried noodles.

• Top with some pan seared chicken, fish or tofu brushed with Bee Stinger for an extra treat.  Meat and Fish and Protein

~Bee Stinger Salmon

This is our favorite way to make salmon.  Bake or grill your salmon as usual.  2-3 minutes before it is finished cooking, , brush it with a generous amount of Bee Stinger and return to the oven for 1-2 minutes.   It is my all time favorite entree ever.  (I serve it with sweet potatoes mashed with butter and a generous dollop of Gentle Ginger Maine Mousse.  Add a simple green salad or vegetable and you have a meal fit for your most favorite friends).  The ratio of deliciousness to the amount of work required is a perfect ratio!

~Pork Tenderloins

I like pork tenderloins because they are so easy to make.  Like the salmon, these tenderloins are so quick and easy to cook and they benefit from the addition of Maine Mousse or Bee Stinger after they are done. 

• Instand Pulled Pork-Although it isn't like my Famous Pulled Pork (I'll post that one of these days) it is the next best substitute when you are in a hurry! Sprinkle your tenderloins with a 1 teaspoon each of cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika and black pepper. Roast at 375 for 18-20 minutes. Top with a generous amount of Bee Stinger and serve.
• Cook the tenderloins as usual and top withGentle Ginger Maine Mousse and some soy sauce for an Asian influence
• Cook as usual and top with Cranberry Orange Maine Mousse and chopped rosemary… also a delightful combination.  

~Fried Chicken 

If you haven’t had hot honey on fried chicken, then you are missing out.  I don’t deep fry it anymore, but I do dip boneless chicken thighs in egg then panko bread crumbs and cook them in the air fryer (or oven). Season the Panko with salt, pepper (or any spice of your choice) so that it is savory and crispy. I like  the crust spicy, and drizzling the Bee Stinger honey over it adds just enough heat.  Try Bee Stinger over your favorite recipe for fried chicken. 

~Tofu Stir Fry

Nicole, our extraordinary collaborator and Market Coordinator at Barters Island Bees is a vegetarian.  She makes a stir fry sauce using Bee Stinger or Gentle Ginger Maine Mousse combined with a bit of  soy sauce. There is no limit to the variety of veggies that you could include in the stir fry, and it is a great way to top crispy tofu.

~If the question is...."What are You Making for Dinner?"... the answer is "Reservations! "

OK, so it isn't a recipe and you don't need reservations.... but I have to include this use of Bee Stinger. At our markets and shows, at least 3 people ask us if we've had hot honey on Pizza.... so we took the leap and tried Bee Stinger on a pepperoni pizza. I didn't expect to like it. I stand corrected. Recipe: Order your pizza and drizzle on bee stinger. I'm planning to get a pizza cut into tiny slices and serve it as an appetizer, too.

Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables Fit for a Queen (Bee)

Roast root vegetables with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt until they are soft and caramelized on the bottom.  I use a 350 degree oven and roast them for as long as it takes to get crispy color on the bottom… 45 minutes to an hour for most veggies!  The secret to the best roast vegetables is to preheat your pan!  You’ll get the best caramelization ever! After the veggies are done, brush with Bee Stinger or any of the Maine Mousse varieties.  You can pop the pan back in the oven for a minute or two to caramelize the honey a bit.  But don’t let it burn. Serve hot or at room temperature.-  Here are suggestions of which product to use, but you can use your imagination for veggies not listed!

~Root Veggies and Squash-For Carrots, Beets, Rutabaga, Beets, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut or any kind of squash-  Try Gentle Ginger, Ceylon Cinnamon, Honey Butter, Orange Cranberry, Pumpkin Spice or Bee Stinger

~For Brussels Sprouts, Fennel or thick Onion slices- Bee Stinger or Orange Cranberry 

Stir Frys

Just last night I ran into a Boothbay chef who tried our honey for the first time a couple of months ago. He was raving about the addition of Bee Stinger to his vegetable stir fry. Try it in yours! Other options are ginger or orange cranberry. All of these pair with soy sauce and sesame oil beautifully.

~Desserts

I could never begin to list the sweet recipes that are better when you use honey.  Honey and sugar have similar numbers of calories so you aren’t dieting or reducing your blood sugar levels when you substitute honey. But honey has unique advantages over sugar.  It contains beneficial antioxidants, minerals, Vitamin C and B vitamins and amino acids.  Antioxidants reduce cell damage which reduces your risk for other diseases.  And it has antimicrobial properties.  Using honey in place of sugar in your desserts or tea has a distinct advantage over processed sugar.  

Honey can add a fruity, floral, nutty, or earthy sweetness desserts and make them a bit healthier to eat. I'll be adding my honey desserts to the website as I have time, but here are a couple to get you started.

Dessert

Believe it or not, I'm only giving you one dessert. I'll be adding more, but you probably already have your favorites. Almost every dessert can be made with honey (see information at the beginning of this page about converting to honey) But this one is a 5 minute dessert that gets RAVE reviews and features pure, raw Honey.

My All Time, Favorite Honey DessertThe honey dessert recipes I love most are the ones that I can whip up in a couple of minutes and get rave reviews!  At the top of that list is this simple, simple recipe that we took to the local Garden Club meeting when we spoke there a while back….  It was DEVOURED and the feedback was tremendous.  It hasn’t had a name so far, so let’s just call it:

Barters Island Bees Honey Delight- Serves 4

This recipe uses our pure, raw honey that we affectionately call “Runny Honey”.  It is adaptable to whatever fruits you like or what is in season.  It puts on a stunning display of gorgeous colored fruits, sparkling from the drizzle of honey.  It seems too simple and good to be true.  But try this once and it will become a favorite. BEST OF ALL? It takes 10 minutes to create! Better double this recipe!  You will need it if there are more than 2 of you eating it.

-1 packages of mascarpone or cream cheese.  Try to find mascarpone in the cheese section (not dairy section).  Mascarpone is a much richer form of cream cheese. it is superior to cream cheese in this dish.  

-1  cup of your favorite seasonal fruits cut into  bite size pieces.    I love a combination like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and kiwi for the beautiful colors.  But there is no limit to your imagination.  You can use peaches, plums, pitted cherries or tropical toppings like pineapple, mango, coconut, etc. 

 -½ cup or to taste of Barters Island Bees pure. raw, runny honey

-A sweet cracker (like Carr's Whole Wheat) or a not so sweet cookie (Goya Maria cookies available in the Mexican Food aisle. Even graham crackers will do in a pinch.

Scoop the mascarpone onto a serving dish and smooth it into a mound with depression in the top to hold the honey.  Top with the fruit.  When you are ready to serve, give it a very generous drizzle of Barters Island Bees pure, raw honey. Optional: Decorate with a few spigs of mint for a beautiful display.