Honey

Did you know there are hundreds of types of honey? Did you know Ohio is a major beekeeper state?

Read more about Ohio and honey in this month's Ohio Magazine.

There are more than 300 different types of honey in the U.S., each with a unique flavor and appearance, determined by the types of flowers from which the bees extracted nectar. Some of the varietals found in Ohio include alfalfa, blueberry, buckwheat, clover, goldenrod, pumpkin, star thistle, sunflower and wildflower.

According to Tew, who oversees OSU’s Honey Bee Laboratory, Ohio was known as the top honey-producing state in the country in the late 1940s. Now, Ohio is known primarily for its corn, wheat and soybean crops...

Jean-Robert de Cavel, chef and owner of Jean-Robert at Pigall’s, in Cincinnati, makes a point of incorporating local honey (mostly wildflower and chestnut varietals), purchased from Ohio farmers, into various dishes at his restaurant. Honey, he says, is a great addition to salad dressings, ice cream, seafood dishes and glazes for meat.

Honey has always played an important role in de Cavel’s life. Growing up in southern France, a young de Cavel spent time on his uncle’s honey farm, learning about the art and science of beekeeping.

I've always liked honey rather than syrup on pancakes. In the old days (early 1980s), breakfast restaurants used to keep bottles of both on the table. Then it became a syrup world. Now you have to ask for honey.