The Milk & Honey Issue

Photography By | Last Updated January 26, 2018
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Honey Bees at the hive
Bees make their way back and forth to the hive. Read why the distance they travel matters in the Milk & Honey Issue.

"Making this detour by way of the beehive, the entire cosmos can find its way into human beings and help to make them sound in mind and body."
– Rudolf Steiner

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the phrase milk and honey means “prosperity and abundance; richness of produce; plenty, comfort.” From that definition, it's safe to assume that if a land flows with honey, bees are doing their work. As pollinators, they enable plants to grow. Plants pollinated by bees are then fed to animals such as cows, goats and sheep to produce milk. We, as humans, benefit from this continuous cycle, and a sustainable food system is one that supports it.

It’s estimated that more than three-quarters of the world's food crops rely on pollination by insects and other animals, and one-third of all vegetables and fruits produced are pollinated by honey bees. Did you know that there are more than 20,000 species of wild bees alone? Without pollinators, many of us wouldn't enjoy coffee, chocolate, oranges and so many other foods that are part of our daily lives.

In this issue, we look at our region as a land of plenty, focused on all the delicious ways milk and honey brings abundance to our lives. Most people don't know that dairy is almost a billion-dollar industry in Florida, and yet many local dairies in Northeast Florida are no longer in business. We explore why. If you want to get buzz-y as a beekeeper, read tips from the pros on how to successfully care for backyard bees. (Talk about locavores - little forager bees travel no more than three miles in search of food!) Get the lowdown on what makes handcrafted cheese truly exceptional and find recipes for using artisan cheeses in your kitchen. Finally – What's not to love about goats? We take you behind the scenes of a local goat farm. You’ll be udder-ly fascinated.

There is, of course, more going on in our region than these pages contain, so we encourage you to get out and explore the businesses and communities throughout Northeast Florida who are doing great things with milk and honey. We love to hear about your discoveries too. Don't hesitate to share your adventures! Doing so is easy by simply tagging us on social media at #edibleneflorida.

Lauren TitusEditor

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STORIES & RECIPES FROM THE MILK & HONEY ISSUE

What's in Season

Here's a list of local food you'll find in season throughout the year in Northeast Florida.

How Now Suntanned Cow

Cheryl Wainwright Finney and Granola
Dairy farming used to be a big industry in Northeast Florida. Where have all the farms gone?

Rice and Cheese Fritters

Rice and cheese fritters
Delicious on their own, these fritters can also be used as a filling for a wrap or a pita bread sandwich.

Coconut Curry Chicken

Coconut Curry Chicken
Coconut milk balances the bite of Thai chili peppers in this dinner entrée.

Eat Your Collard Greens

collard greens
Versatile and nutritious, collards can be a fun alternative to tortillas for burritos and wraps. 

Collard Wraps

Collard Green Wraps with Black beans and roasted veggies
Make these wraps ahead of time for a nutritious lunch or light dinner.

The Terroir of Honey

bees on a honey comb
When it comes to the flavor of your favorite honey, where a bee has travelled -- really matters.

Making Nut Milks

homemade nut milks
Homemade almond milk is easy and you will love the fresh flavor.

Homemade Almond Milk

almond milk and almonds
Vary the flavor of homemade almond milk by adding a few ingredients, from spicy to sweet, for endless possibilities.

Honey Mead: A Beverage in Bloom

mead bottles on table with ingredients
As one of the world's oldest fermented drinks, honey mead is making it's comeback.

The Accidental Goat Farmer

Sharon TerKeurst at her goat farm, Terk's Acres, in St. Johns County.
A primer on living life with goats from an accidental farmer.

Breakfast Pie

Breakfast Pie
Not quite a quiche, this custardy breakfast pie makes a perfect picnic brunch!

Edible Flowers

Edible dianthus flowers
Ever wonder if any of your garden flowers can be eaten? Wonder no more! We will tell you.

7 Ways to Use Edible Flowers

Edible Flower on a cookie
Easy to make and unique to serve. Make the most of your favorite blooms.

Goat Cheese Honey Cigars

Goat Cheese Honey Cigars
With just 5 ingredients, these will quickly become one of your favorite go-to appetizers.

Asabia el Aroos with Cardamom and Honey

baklava with cardamom and honey
Also called Bride’s Fingers, this is a Middle Eastern version of baklava. Bake in muffin tins for easy serving.

Backyard Beekeeping

Beekeeper tending hives in Northeast Florida
A how-to for getting started with your own backyard bees.

What is Semifreddo?

Semifreddo
This frozen dessert is easy to make at home.

Milk & Honey Semifreddo

Milk and Honey Semifreddo with almond crunch
No ice cream maker? No problem! You only need a loaf pan for this frozen Italian dessert.

Say {Artisanal} Cheese

Cheese Board
What separates the artisanal cheesemaker from the commercial cheesemakers? Read on to find out.

Barrels of Honey

honey on a plate
Rype and Readi Farm Market and the St. Augustine Distillery have teamed up to bring barreled bee nectar to the consumer market.

What’s happening near you

April 06 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Herb Appreciation Day

Garden of Eatin'
St. Johns
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