Midsummer is one of the best times of year to make infused honeys because the range of aromatic flowering herbs available is at its peak: lavender, chamomile, elderflower, calendula, rose, lemon balm, and rosemary all flower or peak within a relatively short window, and each produces a distinctly beautiful honey with a different medicinal character.
The Golden Rule: Dried Herb Only
Fresh plant material contains water, and water in honey introduces the possibility of fermentation (which produces a mead rather than a medicinal honey, which is not necessarily a problem but is a different product). Dried herb gives a clean, stable infusion. For fresh summer flowers that you want to capture at their peak, the solution is to dry them quickly first: spread them in a single layer on a screen or in a low-temperature dehydrator until fully dry (they should crumble, not feel pliable), then use immediately for the honey infusion.
The Lavender Honey
Lavender honey is one of the most beautiful preparations you can make in summer. Pack dried lavender flowers loosely into a jar to about one third full. Pour warm (not hot) raw honey over them, mix gently to remove air bubbles, cap the jar, and leave in a warm sunny spot for two to three weeks. Strain through cheesecloth, pressing the lavender firmly. The resulting honey is deeply fragrant, gently calming, and extraordinary in warm drinks, on yogurt, or taken by the spoonful for mild evening anxiety or sleeplessness.
The Rose Petal Honey
Use deep, fragrant rose petals (pesticide-free, ideally from heritage varieties which tend to have more fragrance than modern cultivars). Dry them as above and infuse in raw honey for two to three weeks. The resulting honey has a complex, sweet-floral character and carries rose’s gentle heart-opening and mildly anxiolytic properties in the most delicious possible format.
The Calendula Honey
Calendula-infused honey brings the flower’s anti-inflammatory and skin-soothing properties into a sweet medium that is both pleasant to eat and useful as a topical preparation for minor skin irritation and sore throats. The flavor is mild and pleasant.
The Herbalist Codex app has the full infused honey preparation guide alongside the profiles for all these summer flowering herbs. Make a jar of each this week while the flowers are at their peak.