What can one properly prepped lemon do to honey? OMG

There is nothing wrong with buying a fresh lemon and mixing it with honey. Nothing at all! Delicious! But what if you want fresh lemon and honey whenever you desire it, not just when you have a fresh lemon on hand? Infused lemon honey to the rescue!

Want it to be the best ever? Read on (or order our small batch, gourmet perfection here)

Ingredients You'll Need:

• 1 lb. of raw, unfiltered honey (start with the very best so you can end with the very best)

• 1 whole lemon

Step 1: Zest that lemon

Gently shave off the zest of that lemon for its prized oil. A vegetable peeler or micro plane works great in the absence of a dedicated zester. Just be sure to remove a very thin layer as the white is not what we are after. A lemon will net about a tablespoon of zest (we use 5.5 grams). Place this in the bottom of a jar that can hold a pound of honey.

Step 2: Make the rest of that lemon lose some weight

Honey is not so much a friend of water and since your lemon is almost 90% water, we need to put it on diet before it gets into a long-term relationship with your prized honey. Again, we are after the perfect infusion, here.

Thinly slice the lemon and give it a few hours in a food dehydrator (or an oven that can hold a temp around 130 degrees or a "keep warm" setting). The food dehydrator will both gently heat and blow on your slices until they lose the necessary weight. Our lemons at My Bee Attitude like to lose about 88% of their weight over the course of three hours.

Move these beautiful slices into the jar. Glass works great here because you are going to want to watch this all happen.

Step 3: Infusing the honey

Add your honey to the jar and place a tight-fitting lid on top. If it is a sunny day, place it outside with a nice pitcher of sun tea for the better part of the day. If you have the time, flip that jar upside down every now and again and watch the movement inside. You'll be glad you took the extra time when it's Winter and you are enjoying some of this joy in a jar. You will remember walking outside in the warmth of summer sun and seeing that lemon do its work.

Step 5: Letting the Flavors Marry

If you are making this at home, you are free to take a sample at any point to determine if you have achieved lemon bliss. At My Bee Attitude, we have a very exacting clock, processes, and quality standards for this. Every pound of honey will get its full lemon and the perfect amount of time. You may find at the end of the day you have exactly what you were looking for. Then again, you may bring it in the house and let it sit for another few days. Twenty-four to forty-eight hours is usually just about right.

Step 6: Enjoying the Infusion

After the infusion period, be sure and let your nose take a first sample. Breathe in the tantalizing aroma of lemon-infused Wisconsin honey. If you need to, transfer it to a long-term storage jar with a label. Now go on and use it to sweeten your favorite teas (or that sun tea you started earlier) allowing it to add a unique twist that will delight your senses with every sip.

This gourmet infused honey, if you hide if from yourself, will become something your children will fight over when your time on earth has come to an end - but until then - your tea-drinking experience will never be the same. Say goodbye, at least for a moment, to ordinary sweeteners and welcome a burst of citrusy goodness into your teacup. Embrace the vibrant flavors of fresh lemon zest and those dehydrated slices dancing in perfect harmony with your premium Wisconsin honey anytime you like. Remember, quality ingredients are key to creating a truly remarkable infusion that will captivate your senses.