There are a handful of home tests people use to check honey, and it's worth knowing what they can and can't tell you.

The water test: drop a spoonful of honey into a glass of water. Real honey tends to settle at the bottom in a blob rather than dissolving immediately, since it's dense and doesn't mix with water easily. Adulterated honey with added sugar syrup often disperses faster. It's a reasonable first check, not a guarantee.

The thumb test: put a drop on your thumb and see if it stays put or runs. Real honey is thick enough to hold its shape briefly; watered-down honey tends to spread. Again, indicative, not conclusive.

The truth is that none of these kitchen tests can catch every kind of adulteration, especially the more sophisticated syrup blends that have shown up in the market in recent years. The only way to know for certain is lab testing, which is a fair thing to ask any honey seller about, us included.