Today, I Love...This Unassuming 5-gallon Bucket

...because it's filled with "liquid gold!"

No, not Mr Beans' alcoholic-cider from The Fantastic Mr. Fox...no, definitely not!
Remember this happy little Le Creuset gem Mr LKP gifted me for Easter?

That's right!  My fabulous 5-gallon bucket and Le Creuset pot are both treasure troves of my favorite 30 year-old thing in this house, besides Mr LKP....HONEY!!!

So, why am I loving it more today than yesterday?
...especially since it's no secret that I've loved honey all my life?
...especially since we've owned this bucket for quite some time now?
Well, the answer is easy:  
EDUCATION, HONEY.... er, uh, well more like HONEY EDUCATION!

We all know honey is uber healthy, and natural.
But WHY is it so healthy?  And why should our society be turning to honey again?

Personally, for me, honey has turned out to be a life-saver of a sweetener in my diet.  On my buckwheat pancakes I can't just snag whatever maple syrup's on the shelf due to the main ingredient being corn syrup.  I can definitely have 100% pure maple syrup, but I'd have to sign over my left ovary to finance it, and we all know how attached I am to my organs....not to mention how desperately afraid of needles, let alone scalpels! 

Also, in our confusing foodworld, a shopper has to be so very very careful for the sake of purity, even about what brand of white sugar to buy and from where.  Is it cane sugar or beet sugar?  Many people swear by agave nectar, but again there is controversy there, as fermented agave + distillation = tequila.  Many would argue to avoid such an item because of its potential...and that doesn't seem right at all.  Sad really, but I am feeling torn over it.  As in, I have purchased some agave nectar.  Alas it has sat unopened in my pantry for months cause I'm nervous and don't know exactly what to do with.  (Of course that's my own issue, but at least with honey, I can avoid all the headache of figuring it out...or possibly compromising my standards...or appearing as though I've compromised my standards in any way.)  Other people choose to use molasses, however it has a very distinct taste, now doesn't it?  And not everything do I want to taste like molasses or gingerbread, etc. 

So, considering all this mess of "what now?" in my mind, I was extremely happy today to receive more peace of mind while reading some honey facts & uses at Cox's Honey.  (Gotta admit that I was very proud of myself when reading about the bubble test and how to tell the quality & purity of honey...because years ago I figured out that's how I liked to decide on which pancake syrup to buy!  So it TOTALLY made sense to me.  Self, here's a pat on the back!   Additionally I loved reading about how to better measure it out & use it in proper proportions in recipes!)  So here's some of what I loved learning the most:

"The benefits of honey go from A...to...Z

• Allergies can be lessened and sometimes overcome with eating honey.
• Burns heal faster and better.
• Cooking with honey gives more flavor without weighing you down.
• Diabetes can be helped using honey.
• E.coli, shigella, and salmonella stand no chance with honey.
• Fatigue can be a thing of the past with instant energy honey.
• Good source of vitamins and minerals.
• HONEY ROCKS!
• Immune systems grow stronger and better with daily doses of honey.
• Just an ounce a honey prior to bed refuels the liver and allows fats to burn.
• Kills viruses, bacteria, and funguses.
• Lubricating….thus it has a mild laxative effect.
• Moisturizing for your skin as well as your hair.
• Natural….no artificial flavors or preservatives.
• Obesity is fought by taking daily doses of honey.
• Predigested…so it is easy for the body to digest unlike sugar.
• Quick source of energy.
• Raw honey is a great way to build immunity to allergens.
• Sweetener…man’s oldest and healthiest.
• Thiamine and riboflavin for your diet can come from honey.
• Ulcers can be treated and healed by honey.
• Very good shelf life….100 years!
• Wounds for centuries have been healed using honey.
• Xellent source of B and C vitamins.
• Your health increases day by day if honey is a part of your diet.
• Zinc exists in honey.

And the best part…………..it is NATURE’S FINEST SWEETENER!"
(www.coxshoney.com/uses) 

I also adore that this section in their website goes on to explain how to incorporate honey better into your beauty regimen through honey baths, deep conditioning of the hair, acne treatments, and moisturizing face masks.  Lovin' all of that!!! 

So there you have it folks, why I love my 5-gallon bucket of liquid gold goodness!


Want more?.....Well my friend, Candace who IS the cook next door, has a giveaway going with Cox's Creamed Honey today.   (Oh man, did I fall head over heels for Cox's Creamed Honey while living in eastern Idaho?  Yeah, entirely!  It's an addiction.)  If you're interested, hop on over and peruse through some of her fab recipes and kitchen tips while you're at it. 

Have a great weekend, y'all!