When a food myth favors my preferred lifestyle, I typically accept it with gusto. Case in point: red wine and coffee are good for your heart. Great! Done! This means I can indulge in a nightly glass of red wine and enjoy my morning caffeine jolt without worry. Same goes for that dark chocolate claim: bring it on.
I recently heard a new one: eating local honey helps calm the effects of seasonal allergies. Ok, I’ll bite. After all, my allergies have been running amok, leaving me with itchy eyes and big sneezing sessions. The idea is that daily exposure to a small amount of an allergen (in this case: pollen) can help to desensitize the body so we better handle the effects of pollen.
I don’t think there is necessarily a lot of research out there to back up this claim. But then again, do you really need an excuse to eat this Local Honey Cake from 3 Little Figs? I sure didn’t.
When Maggie asked me to taste this cake, which is included in the Spring Gift Box, I gladly accepted the task. (I always accept this task…) 3 Little Figs is a bakery that focuses on lightened up, natural versions of favorite baked goods from childhood.
The honey cake was delicious with a moist crumb and soft, spicy-sweet flavor. I decided I would cut it into thick slices and grill it up on my butter-kissed grill pan. With some rhubarb from my co-worker’s garden and a bag of frozen raspberries, we were in business!
I tossed the rhubarb with some sugar and butter and roasted it up until it was toasty and fragrant. Then I let the rhubarb simmer away with the raspberries and a vanilla bean. I topped the grilled honey cake with the compote and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. While I can’t say that the Local Honey Cake cured my allergies, I can tell you that it was a huge component in a truly delightful springtime dessert.
Raspberry Rhubarb Compote
Ingredients:
- 1 pound rhubarb stalks, leaves removed
- 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (it’s too early for fresh raspberries here, I used frozen)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Turn the oven on to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Wash and dry rhubarb stalks. Cut to your preferred size (I wanted smaller pieces of rhubarb because I prefer when it melts into the compote, but you can certainly leave the pieces 1-2 inches long here if you want them to stay intact).
In a bowl, toss rhubarb pieces with sugar and melted butter. Spread the sugary rhubarb on the parchment lined baking sheet and place in the oven for about 20 minutes (check the rhubarb after about 15 minutes). Once the rhubarb is starting to brown ever-so-slightly, remove the baking sheet from the oven.
Add the roasted rhubarb and the raspberries to a saucepan and warm over low heat until heated through and combined into a sauce. Taste the compote and if you prefer a sweeter flavor, add more sugar. Spoon over ice cream and/or a slice of cake or another lovely baked treat.
If you have extra, as I did, the compote is really tasty mixed into greek yogurt and topped with granola for a tangy breakfast treat.
Photo credits: (1) Maggie Battista, (2) Robin, (3) and (4) Maggie, (5) Shelby Larsson, (6) Maggie, and (7) Shelby.
Looking for the perfect gift? Eat Boutique sells a handmade gift box filled with handmade sweet and savory treats. Send food that hugs you back today.
