Like most foodstuffs, honey does best in a location that is cool and dry. Store honey at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.

Never put honey in the fridge; it accelerates the crystallization.* When honey crystallizes, the texture becomes “crunchy”—not a pleasant state for most people, but still safe to eat.

Crystallization is a natural process that occurs when glucose, one of three main sugars in honey (along with fructose and sucrose), spontaneously precipitates out of the supersaturated† honey solution and takes the form of crystals.

All honey will ultimately turn to sugar crystals—some in months, some not for years.

* Other terms for crystallization include sugared, granulated, solidified and crystallized. The crystals may be large or small, grainy/sandy or smooth.

†The supersaturated state occurs because there is so much sugar in honey (more than 70%) relative to the water content (often less than 20%).

Simply place the honey jar in a microwave-safe container with the lid off, and microwave it for 30 seconds. Plastic containers may not be microwaveable, so transfer the honey to a microwave-safe receptacle (we use a Pyrex measuring cup with an easy-pour lip) and then return the honey to the container. Another tip: spray the measuring cup or dish with cooking spray so the honey will flow back into its container more easily.

If you don’t have a microwave, you can place the jar in hot water and stir occasionally until the crystals dissolve, about 10 to 15 minutes.

How To Keep Honey From Crystallizing

‡ Processing removes grains of pollen and extraneous solids. The process typically heats honey to 150°F to 170°F.
MORE HONEY TIPS here.
  

It’s National Honey Month in a recession. Today’s tip spans both topics: how to get the last drops of honey from the jar.

As the honey is used up and the jar contains mostly air, there is invariably honey at the bottom of the jar that hardens, resisting the ability to pour or spoon it out. Here’s how to get out that last spoonful:

 
This trick not only gets the last drop of honey out, but it also cleans the container for recycling.

Honeybees must visit two million flowers to make one pound of honey! More honey trivia.

FOOD TRIVIA

The Honey Bear® bottle, shown in the photo above, is a registered trademark of the National Honey Board.

Healthful and versatile, olive mixes stay in the fridge for months, ready to grab and serve with beer, red and white wine, and martinis and other cocktails.

You can also use the olives as part of an antipasto, add them to salads and omelets, and spoon them onto dishes of pasta, slices of pizza and whatever else inspires you.

To turn your mix into a gift, just create a label from a free template, or use pinking shears to cut a circle from a scrap of cloth and tie it with a ribbon or string over the top of a recycled plastic or glass container.

A mix of cured olives and almonds with lemon zest. Photo courtesy A.G. Ferrari.

OLIVE MIX RECIPE

Follow these simple steps to create a great olive mix:

 
HOW TO SERVE YOUR OLIVE MIX

A bowl of olives is fine by itself, but olives are also a popular part of an antipasto, served with:

December 16th is National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day.

Here’s a treat few people can resist: chocolate-drizzled (or chocolate-covered, if you prefer) popcorn.

Some popcorn companies won’t ship it until October, when the weather cools down.

But that’s O.K., because it’s easy to make this chocolate popcorn recipe, using a base of home-popped or store-bought popcorn, in fewer than five minutes.

If you like things sweet and salty, sprinkle some sea salt in the final mix.

A GREAT GIFT: If you’re going somewhere this weekend, you can quickly make a batch as a gift for your host. Hopefully, like us, you’ve kept all the cookie gift tins you’ve received, just waiting for an occasion like this. It’s so much easier and faster than baking.

While the chocolate coating isn’t on the nutritionist’s checklist, popcorn is a whole grain, good-for-you snack. And you can always convince yourself that chocolate has “healthy antioxidants.”*
 
 
RECIPE: CHOCOLATE COVERED (CHOCOLATE DRIZZLED)
POPCORN

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. LINE two baking sheets with waxed paper. Pop the corn and place in a large bowl; you need enough space to toss so the popcorn doesn’t spill out of the bowl. Remove any unpopped kernels.

2. MELT the chocolate, preferably in a Pyrex measuring cup with a lip, and pour it over the still-warm popcorn. Toss thoroughly, using two very large spoons. Sprinkle with salt or spices as desired.

4. USE the spoons to spread the coated popcorn onto the waxed paper. Let cool until the chocolate has set (you can place the pans in the fridge for a few minutes).

5. USE a fork or other implement to break apart any large clumps. Place the popcorn in a serving bowl and serve.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF POPCORN

Thanks to the Aztecs and other Mesoamericans for discovering and developing popcorn.

Here’s the history of popcorn.

[2] It’s fun to pop your own; but if you’re time-strapped, you can use microwave or store-bought popcorn (photo © King Of Pop).

Melt chocolate chips or chop up some chocolate bars (photo © King Arthur Flour).

___________________
 
*While it’s true that chocolate contains some antioxidants, after the sugar is added, it’s no health food. Plus, the antioxidant value is found in cacao beans that are roasted in a particular way to preserve the antioxidants. Companies that roast cacao beans for chocolate seldom worry about preserving the antioxidants.
  

This recipe was developed by New York City chef and restaurateur Donatalla Arpaia, who makes the cocktail with Martini Bianco vermouth and Grey Goose vodka. Prosecco is the perfect summer sparkler, light and crisp with notes of apple, peach, apricot, pear and white peach.

We like that this drink includes summery ingredients like basil and cherry tomatoes. We prefer the recipe without the simple syrup; but then, we prefer savory drinks. That said, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon agave nectar for the simple syrup (More about agave nectar).

THE DONATELLA COCKTAIL

Ingredients Per Cocktail

*Campari is a variety of tomato noted for its juiciness, high sugar level and low acidity. They are larger than a cherry tomato but smaller and rounder than a plum tomato.

†Shaking or vigorously stirring sparkling wine breaks the bubbles.