Not just your Bubbe’s honey cake

As a beekeeper and avid cook I can take you and your honey places you’ve never been before- culinarily speaking.

So let’s get Buzzin’.

The antennae on honey bees are very sensitive and important for tasting things.  The tips of the antennae have more than 300 taste sensors! I’ve heard it described as having a nose on the end of your thumb. Honey bees use their front feet, tongue, jaw and antennae to taste with.

So be like a bee and immerse your senses in this luscious chicken dish. The honey “opens” the pores on the chicken tenderizing the flesh and allowing the spices to totally saturate the bird.

Honey-Roasted Spicy Chicken

You will need: 

• Oven
• Roasting pan and rack
• Small mixing bowl
• 1 whole chicken (this one happens to be 2.2kg)
• 1 Tablespoon of chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
• 75g Honey
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1teaspoon salt
• 5 cloves of roasted garlic, mashed –
  • If you don’t have roasted garlic as a pantry staple, you should. But that’s a soapbox outside the realm of honey. Meet me later outside…
• 30g melted coco margarine – you can substitute olive oil

How to do it :

1. Preheat oven to 200c
2. Dry your bird
3. Mix everything into the melted margarine and slather all over the bird and under the skin where possible.
   • You will need to use your hands.
4. Roast the chicken  until the skin begins to brown – about 35-40 minutes
5. Baste with available juices
6. Reduce the heat to 175c and roast until juices run clear

I use a button thermometer. Although probably not the most accurate, It’s what I’ve got. Legitimately, and for safety reasons the internal temp of the thickest part of your bird (thigh area) should be 80c. Without any thermometer for many years, I was taught to “shake a leg” of the bird. If that was easy + the juices were running clear, the bird was done. I am still alive.

Whatever your method…

Remove the chicken from the oven when you’re satisfied it’s done. Cover, either with a lid or some foil and allow to rest 20 minutes before carving.

29 Days of Honey – Elul 5781 

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