Hardly anyone will argue against the fact that in Russia, honey has always been a favorite treat since time immemorial. He was especially appreciated for Shrovetide, when it was customary to serve hot pancakes with honey.
Honey will be of great benefit for colds, being an excellent tool for the treatment and prevention of disease. It is not surprising that such a useful product requires proper storage in order to remain tasty and preserve all its properties. We will tell you how to store honey in this article.
How to store honey
Honey is stored in a clean glass, ceramic or aluminum container. If fresh honey is poured into a jar, where even a sticky slip of old delicacy remains at the bottom, it will ferment, and its taste will be hopelessly spoiled. The honey keeps its qualities and taste in barrels of birch, linden, cedar or beech. The treat should be kept under a tightly closed lid in a cool dark place.
Copper, lead and zinc cans or vessels from their alloys are not suitable for storing honey. Interacting with acids, which are rich in honey, these metals produce harmful substances, as a result of consumption of which you can get poisoning. And after the storage of honey in iron cans its taste will deteriorate.
Because of the ability of honey to absorb surrounding odors, it should be kept away from strongly smelling substances( kerosene, acetone and paints).And in order to protect it from fermentation, the container with honey should be kept away from salt, which maintains the necessary level of humidity for this purpose.
Honey, poured over glass jars, should be stored in the dark, so as not to darken under the influence of sunlight. In addition, prolonged stay in the light significantly worsens its useful qualities. If you need to melt the crystallized honey, then it should be heated in a water bath, and this should only be done with the required quantity of the product, as melted honey can begin to ferment.
Honey houses are best kept in a cellar or refrigerator. The temperature to -20 ° C does not affect its therapeutic and taste qualities in any way. In winter, honey is most often crystallized and if you bought a liquid product in the store, it is either forged or melted.
With increasing storage temperature, honey loses its useful qualities. It is best to remove it into a dark cool room( air temperature no more than 20 ºС), where there will be no place for sharp smells.
Features of honey storage in honeycombs
What if you became a happy owner of a honeycomb frame in which honey is sealed? This is really a wonderful event, because honey in honeycomb is a truly valuable and useful product. And it should be kept in a special way, that not all are able to do it. And now you will learn how to do it right.
To keep honey in the honeycomb for a long time, it must be cut into pieces and spread over clean containers, tightly closed lid. For storage, they should be removed either in the refrigerator or in another dark cool place.
The main advantage of honey in honeycombs is that honeycomb is a useful wax, an indispensable tool in the treatment of colds. Ordinary honey swallows quickly, but honeycomb with honey should be chewed for a long time, and this is a significant benefit in the treatment of colds and sore throats. And if the honeycomb is cut into small pieces, they can be eaten with tea and rolls.