Honey Buzz: Valentine's Day Recipe

Honey Buzz: Honey, Chocolate and Hazelnut Spread

Easy, raw, gluten free, dairy free, guilty free!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hazelnuts
• 1/8 cup cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons honey, liquid or creamy
• 1/2 tablespoon hazelnut oil
• pinch sea salt

Method:

• Roast the hazelnuts at 350° for 8-10 minutes until they darken a bit and smell fragrant
• Transfer the hazelnuts to a towel and rub off the skins
• In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to a smooth butter, about 5 minutes, scraping the sides as needed
• Add the cocoa, honey, oil and salt and process until well blended, about a minute
• Store in a glass mason jar in the refrigerator
• Bring to room temperature prior to serving.
• Spread over crusty bread, waffles or crepes add strawberries and raspberries!

Red Bee Events for February

FEBRUARY 5
Red Bee Skin Care Workshop
+ Saturday, February 5, 2010 at 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Rossape Sustainable Skin Care Workshop, Weston, CT
Spend a fun Saturday at beekeeper Marina's
Red Bee Cottage in Weston,
CT and learn the basics on how to make your own skin care
using ingredients from your kitchen.
Reserve your place early-limited space!

FEBRUARY 9 & 16
Beekeeping as a Hobby
+ Wednesdays, February 9 & 16, 2010 at 7:00 till 9:00p
Beekeeping is a fantastic hobby that gives the beekeeper an opportunity to learn about nature and the necessary role the Honey Bee plays in our world.
Instructors: Marina Marchese, founder and owner of Red Bee Honey and author of
Honeybee and Bobbie Meyzen, of Honey Bee Farm. Wilton Continuing Education-CT

FEBRUARY 10
Honey Tasting at Westport Farmers Market
+ Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 10:00 till 1:00p
Join us for a Tasting Flight Weston's Red Bee's Artisanal honeys
and book signing at Westport Farmers Market with beekeeper and HONEYBEE author Marina Marchese 7 Sylvan Avenue Westport, CT 06880

FEBRUARY 12
Honey for your Honey-RSVP
+ Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 1:00pm till 4:00pm
Join us for a Valentine's Day Honey Tasting and Open House at Red Bee Apiary
with beekeeper and honey sommelier Marina Marchese
Honey Tasting at 1-1:30pm Open House till 4:00 pm

FEBRUARY 13
Tarry Market
+ Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 12:00pm till 4:00pm
Join us for a Valentine's Day Honey Tasting at Mario Batali's Tarry Market.
Beekeeper and honey sommelier Marina Marchese will be signing copies of her book HONEYBEE
Tarry Market 175 N. Main Street Port Chester, NY

FEBRUARY 19 & 20
Coffee and Tea Festival NYC
+ February 19 & 20, 2011 at 11:00am till 5:00pm
THE 6th ANNUAL COFFEE & TEA FESTIVAL: NYC
Beekeeper and honey sommelier Marina Marchese will be signing copies of her book HONEYBEE
Red Bee's signature Honey Tasting table-single-origin nectar sources.

FEBRUARY 22
Darien Community Association Lecture Series
+ Tuesday, Feruary 22, 2011 at 10:00am
Marina Marchese will discuss and sign copies of her book Honeybee.
Darien Community Association at Email
Meadowlands at 274 Middlesex Road, Darien, CT

Stained Glass Honey Ice Cream Recipe

...Just because it's not warm outside doesn't mean we can't indulge in ice cream!

Stained Glass Honey Ice Cream Recipe

Ingredients:

500g (a little over 1 lb.) of the best ricotta you can find
2/3 cup (175ml) milk
1 cup (250ml) heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
pinch salt
1/3 cup (90ml) honey


Method:

Beat the ricotta, milk, honey, salt and lemon zest together until light and smooth.
Beat the cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form.
Fold into the ricotta mixture.
Taste for sweetness: keeping in mind that when frozen the sweetness will be a little muted.
Stir in either more honey (if you want that flavor more pronounced).
Pour into a freezer-safe container with a lid.
Freeze until solid (at least 6 hours), removing the mixture every hour or so to beat it a bit and break up the ice crystals.
Or, if you are one of the lucky ones, churn it in your ice cream maker.
Scoop finished honey into big bowl and smooth until top is flat.
Carve out honeycomb shapes with paring knife.
Or, if you are clever enough to make a honeycomb patterned mold, you can emboss the surface nicely.
Drizzle honey into every other hex for stained glass effect.
Enjoy!!!!!!

For more info visit www.redbee.com.

Sustainable Skin Care Workshop

I presented my Sustainable Skin care workshop this past Sunday and we all had a great time making natural products and dining on some pure honeycomb to keep the winter blues away. Guest came from as far as NY state, some were beekeepers and others just looking for more information about living more sustainably. I made some new friends and spent time with old ones.

We mixed up three different products all using what I call the Holy Trinity- "Vegetable oils, Beeswax and Vegetable butters." These three ingredients mixed in various combinations make a base for almost any cleanser, moisturizer or mask. Salts, flower petals, honey and essential oils are what personalizes your creations.

First recipe was an easy rosemary lip balm then we whipped up a lemon scented facial scrub using vitamin packed orange blossom honey. It is fun to watch the enthusiasm of each student as they helped mix and test samples as they were ready. Last but not least, we mixed up a lavender bath salt with powdered buttermilk sprinkled with chamomile flowers. Everyone took home samples of each of the potions we made during the workshop along with recipes and sources for supplies; most you will find in your own kitchen.

Honey Scrub Mask

Yield: nearly 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 cup dead sea salts
2 tablespoons powdered buttermilk, goat milk (or powdered whole milk)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup sunflower oil or your favorite oil

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and mix thoroughly.
2. Add more honey and/or oil as needed to achieve a creamy consistency. Be sure to stir well to combine.
3. Store in airtight jar in refrigerator if not using immediately.
4. To use, scoop out a handful of scrub and apply to damp face, neck hands, and/or whole body! Rinse well with warm water and pat skin dry with a soft cloth or towel.

If your a purist then Rossape will be your passion.
For more information about Red Bee's Rossape Skin Care collection
and Sustainable Skin Care Workshops visit:
www.redbee.com.