Let’s hear it for the indefatigable honeybee: suffering from Colony Collapse Disorder, charged by nature to pollinate all the world’s flowering plants, and, for their own sustenance, required to visit two million flowers to collect enough nectar to produce one pound of honey (one hive will need sixty or so pounds to get through the winter, not counting what we humans siphon off).

In her splendidly informative Fresh Honey Cookbook, Laurey Masterton offers eighty-four recipes—many of which don’t include honey—that wouldn’t be possible without honeybees. In fact, one-third of all the foods we eat are dependent on the work of bees: apples, nuts, strawberries, oranges, grapes, green beans, and so many more. To reinforce the point, she places those bee-pendent ingredients in bold type throughout.

Arranged by season, each chapter corresponds to a specific honey varietal derived from a single flowering plant: orange blossom honey in January, tupelo honey in February, tulip poplar honey in June, to name a few. July features a chilled cucumber soup recipe “transformed” by sourwood honey. Apple and Celery Salad with Sage Honey Vinaigrette beckons from September’s offerings. Simple and harmonious, Masterton’s recipes are for every day.

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