Honey is one of the oldest ingredients used in cookery.

I once read that it was discovered in pottery jars from Egyptian tombs. And although crystallised, it was still edible.

Honey was used around the world as a sweetener well before the introduction of sugar.

The Ancient Greeks used it in many bakery products and considered it ‘The Food of the Gods’ and many of these ancient recipes are still used today, particularly throughout Europe.

Honey could be described as a thick, sweet liquid made by bees from the nectar of flowers. The nectar passes through the bee’s digestive system and excreted as the honey we all know.

Honey takes on the distinctive flavours and colours, depending on the type of flowers from which the bees extract the nectar.

Some of the most common honey producing flowers are from eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary, heather, orange blossom and acacia, to mention a few.

Some honey tips

• If your jar of honey begins to crystallise, stand it in a bowl of hot water until it dissolves and turns back to liquid.
• When accurately measuring honey with a spoon, dip the spoon in hot water first and it won’t stick as much.

Honey and Peanut Biscuits

1. Preheat an oven to 135oC and line a baking tray.
2. In a mixing machine combine half a cup of margarine, half a cup of raw caster sugar and 3 tablespoons of honey.
3. Mix in 1 cup of flour, half a cup of bran flakes, half a cup of chopped unsalted peanuts and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
4. Shape mixture into balls and then press flat onto the baking tray. Bake 20 minutes.

Makes 12.