Honey

Honey was the most important sweetener in Europe until the 16th century, when cane sugar and its more neutral sweetness became more widely available. Germany and the Slavic countries were leading producers in the meantime, and honey wine or mead (from the Sanskrit word for “honey”) was a great favorite in both central Europe and Scandinavia. Honey is now valued as an alternative to sugar, a premade syrup with many distinctive flavors to offer.