Laurey Masterton: Hi! I'm Laurey Masterton. I'm a chef, a caterer and most importantly, a beekeeper. A lot of people think that honey is just a sweetener made by bees, but really it's so much more both in and out of the kitchen.

Honey is an all-natural versatile ingredient that's suitable for any recipe. In the United States alone there are over 300 varieties of honey with complex flavor profiles that complement sweet and savory dishes.

It's really easy to make honey your go-to ingredient because it works so well in glazes and marinades, in dips and sauces, and also, all by itself, is a sweet-note to your favorite dish. Not only that, but honey easily fits into today's leading food trends because it is all-natural, it's an energy booster, and it's a beauty aid.

Throughout these videos we'll be showcasing some of the versatile ways you can use honey at home. We have recipes from appetizers all the way to desserts and some wonderful tips like how to accurately measure honey. So before we get started, let me tell you a little bit more about myself, and also introduce my co-host Mitzi Dulan, and also talk about the National Honey Board.

I have a caf in Asheville, North Carolina that's called Laurey's, where we serve what I call "Gourmet Comfort Food". I've been keeping bees for about three years and after working with bees, I've become deeply appreciative of just what it takes for them to make honey and what a special ingredient it is. And since I've been working with bees, I've been cooking a lot more with honey replacing the sweetener in many of my favorite dishes with honey, which actually results in a much more interesting taste.

My co-host Mitzi Dulan is a registered dietitian, an author, a speaker, and a sports nutritionist for many top professional athletes. She will be sharing tips on incorporating honey into a well-balanced diet and also as an energy booster. She's the mother of two small children and she's always on the go, so she knows first hand what it takes to keep your energy level up while sticking to an all-natural diet.

The National Honey Board is a Federal promotion board under USDA oversight. The organization conducts research, advertising, and promotion programs to increase honey usage and also to raise awareness for honey's many benefits and uses.

The Board welcomes you to these videos and also to the wonderful world of honey. So please, join all of us as we show you just how versatile honey can be.