Homesteaders Honey

30 red clover blossoms
30 white clover blossoms
20+ Fireweed Blossoms (see note)
10 cups sugar
1 tsp. alum
2 1/2 c. water

Bring the water to a boil and add the flowers. Boil for 10 minutes with the lid on. Let steep, like tea, an hour. Bring back to the boil and add the alum and sugar. Stir constantly until a rolling boil is reached. Then boil for 10 minutes. Strain into jars, seal, and process in a B/W bath for 10 minutes.

Notes: I don't do the B/W bath anymore. Just turn the jars upside down for 5 minutes, then right side up. Listen for the pings. They will seal.

This honey will never spoil, sugar, or hurt you.

This year, after 30 years of making it, and 49 years of eating it, I found a little secret. The red clover is for color. I couldn't find any fresh when the white clover was happening this year. So, I used all white clover with the Fireweed and added a drop of red color. Voila. Good to go.

You may not have Fireweed where you are at. Use roses, any edible flower you feel like, I made some with Wild Columbine this year when it was dripping honey-dew. It was killer and sold fast.

This recipe makes damn near a half gallon. Have jars boiled and ready. Any questions?

Hey,Andi.

How about droppin' one whole red scotch bonnet in it for color.

The folks in the islands do that and it doesn't really add much heat.

I dunno, Tommy! What do you think it would do for my Chocolate Loaf?

To us "pepperheads",it would then qualify as comfort food.

What does the alum do? About the only other recipes with alum are for pickles, where its function is to keep them crisp.

Tom: You are such a hottie, Honey!

TJR: I have absolutely no idea what the alum does. A couple of years ago we researched it pretty extensively, even involving a biochemist. Still no answer. To set the color? To keep it flowing? To prevent sugaring? To prevent mold? The honey keeps indefinitely and except for no waxy mouth-feel, I dare anyone to tell me it doesn't taste like bees honey. If there was a place where I could publically ask, such as an Alaska Forum, we could probably get the answer from some Sourdoughs. The Cooperative Extension Service regularly publishes the recipe, and even they don't know. How's that for a mystery?

A mystery indeed. I would have guessed that alum adds a bit of tartness like in real honey, and that alum was chosen because it keeps forever on the shelf. But cream of tartar, which is often used in candy, or "sour salt" (citric acid) does too. So the mystery remains.