what you should know

Golden, fragrant and naturally sweet, honey is the fruit of a long-standing arrangement between men and bees.

Worker bees buzz around snatching nectar from the flowers, returning to the hive to concentrate the nectar and stash it in the viscous form of honey. Then the beekeeper snatches the honey from the bees. 

crystal clear Finding crystals in your honey is actually a testament to its high quality. To smooth it out, set the honey jar in a pan of freshly boiled water, until the honey turns liquid again.  

the buzz Colony Collapse Disorder has been killing off honey bees in the last several years. Since honey flavors so many food products, some companies are rallying to help the bees.

honey bunch According to Martha Hopkins of The New The New InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook, honey has longstanding connections to love and sensuality. In the fifth century B.C., Hippocrates prescribed it for "sexual vigor."

more than bears Honey can be drizzled in its liquid form, whipped to prevent crystallization or creamed and spread like butter.

sweet wishes Rosh Hashanah is celebrated with honey and honey desserts, to help ensure a sweet coming year. 

what you need

Searching for some fine literature about bees and honey? Start with Sue Hubbell's A Book of Bees or Holley Bishop's Robbing the Bees.

If your table setting calls for something more elegant than a plastic bear, you might want a honey dispenser.

Instead of a spoon, try using a honey wand to coax the golden liquid from the jar without spilling a drop.

And while you're whipping up some of our honey recipes, Sweet Honey In The Rock makes the ideal background music.

what you do

Jaden's fantastic pecan-crusted tilapia is sweetened with a honey glaze.

hogwash roasts shallots with honey and feta for a Greek-inspired twist on the French classic.

Before winter spoils the mood, freeze a batch of honey ice cream with ginger-spiced pecans.

Easier than baklava, these flaky honey and almond triangles are a delight.

Glaze your carrots with honey for a smooth, golden sweetness.

Featured: Satisfy your sweet tooth with Honey, Pistachio And Chocolate Chip Biscotti -- this week's Root Source Challenge featured recipe. Congratulations to Dishing Up Delights!

Find more honey recipes at Cookthink.com. And if you haven't yet signed up for a free account at Cookthink, do it now!