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supply the kitchen, Gambold explains. The gift bottles are packaged with a Hotel Indigo label, and recipients are told that the honey is produced on-site. The bees obtain some of the pollen to make the honey from the herbs and other plants that are grown in the rooftop garden— including mint, thyme, and peppers—which results in the honey picking up small amounts of f lavor from those sources. The bees travel within about a two-mile radius, however, so they are also gathering pollen from other local plants. Honeys can be incorporated into a variety of cocktails, includ- ing the classic "Bee's Knees," a Prohibition-era drink that combines gin, honey, and lemon juice. Honey is usually blended with warm water to create a syrup that can be blended easily into cocktails. "Honey makes a beautiful simple syrup," says Lombard, who noted that the NHB has done a lot of outreach with mixologists and others to show them how to incorporate local and regional honeys into their cocktail recipes. Mixed into cocktails, eaten by the spoonful right out of the jar to battle allergies, or incorporated into baked goods or barbecue sauces, honey is becoming an indispensable element of the American diet. "Folks are eating a lot of honey, and enjoying it," says Lombard. GLOSSARY More than 300 unique types of honey are available in the United States, each originating from a different floral source, according to the National Honey Board. Honey varies from almost clear in color with a mild taste to dark brown with bold flavor. The color and flavor of each differs by the source of nectar visited by the honey bees. Here are some of the most common U.S. honey floral varieties. Alfalfa honey, produced throughout the U.S. Created from the plant's purple blossoms, light in color with a pleasingly mild flavor and aroma. Avocado honey, made from California avocado blossoms, is dark in color, with a rich, buttery taste. Blueberry honey is made in New England and Michigan from the tiny white flowers of the blueberry bush. The honey is light amber in color and has a full, well-rounded flavor. Buckwheat honey, dark and full-bodied, is produced in Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Clover honey has a mild taste with color varying from white to amber depending upon location and type of clover. Clovers are the main contributor to honey production in the U.S. Eucalyptus honey is produced in California from a diverse group of plants and hybrids. Though it varies greatly in color and flavor, it tends to be a stronger flavored honey with a distinct scent. Fireweed honey is light in color and comes from a perennial herb that grows in the Northern and Pacific states. Orange blossom honey is light in color with a mild citrus taste. It is produced in Florida, Southern California, and parts of Texas. Sage honey, primarily produced in California, is light in color, heavy bodied, and has a mild flavor. Tupelo honey is produced in northwest Florida. It is usually light golden amber in color with a greenish cast and has a mild taste. Wildflower honey is a term often used to describe honey from miscellaneous flower sources. Source: National Honey Board SPRING 2019 45 category education Mark Hamstra a regular contributor to Specialty Food Magazine.