Heather honey is a gel-like syrup made from heather flower nectar mixed with bee saliva enzymes. It has a pungent, smoky flavor and is highly prized in Scotland, Great Britain, and Northern Europe. Its physical characteristics vary according to purity and it is often used in gourmet dishes.
Heather honey is a sweet syrup created by mixing heather flower nectar with enzymes in bee saliva, as well as hive preservation and moisture extraction. The food is derived from the perennial shrub grown in specific habitats in Scotland, Great Britain and Northern Europe. Its physical characteristics of texture and color vary according to its purity, and the pungent taste makes it highly prized on its own or in a variety of treats and dishes.
Like all honey, this variety is produced when bees forage and mix flower nectar with enzymes in their saliva. The substance is stored in the walls of the hive, where the bees heat it up and reduce the humidity by flapping their wings. Heather honey has a higher moisture content than other types because it has a gel-like texture that requires higher temperatures to extract, which can reduce its quality. As of 2011, Scotland, Wales and Northern England are the largest producers of heather honey followed by several spots in Northern Europe.
Common heather, also known as ling or Calluna vulgaris, is a perennial shrub that grows anywhere from 8 to 20 feet (about 2.44 to 6.1 meters) tall. Its common name comes from its heath and moorland habitats, mainly in Scotland and Great Britain. These areas are outside the enclosed farmlands and extend up hills or mountainsides to tree lines. The heather shrub grows vigorously there, producing bell-shaped flowers in a wide range of shades from white to red and numerous purples, the most common flower colors.
Heather honey has several distinctive physical characteristics. It settles into a thick jelly until it mixes, when it mixes into a syrup. The purest type typically has air bubbles and a bright, translucent color, but is never clear. Its gelatinous texture makes it difficult for moisture to be extracted, so it is sometimes sold in the comb. Heather honey crystallizes at a very slow rate and, in some cases, will not harden at all.
Other qualities unique to heather honey are its colour, scent and flavour. This sweet syrup comes in numerous colors, from reddish orange to dark amber. Its perfume recalls the flower from which it derives and has warm and woody notes. Perhaps the strongest-flavored honey, it has a pungent, smoky flavor and a slight sweetness. Heather honey is known for its long-lasting bitter aftertaste.
The intense flavor makes this honey frequently used in a variety of foods. The unique taste of this syrup is often paired with gourmet ice creams, Greek yogurt and strong black coffee. It can also be served with ham, chicken or lamb. Scottish dishes such as atholl brose and cream crowdie can also feature the delicacy.
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