A strong flavoured honey will also have a so called 'retro-nasale' which will appear at the back of the nose. The more soluble honeys contain more fructose, the less soluble more glucose.

These are the three honeys we tasted in Gradisca Isonzo.

1. A good 'acacia' honey (chestnut honeydew) is fluid, light yellow with a delicate aroma. It is ideal for calming the nerves and stomach and for sweetening drinks.

2. The 'Marasca' honey (wild cherry from the Carso Hiughplain bordering Slovenia) reminds the taster of the green parts of the plant with an intense perfume and slight 'amaragnolo' or acidic taste. This honey is not produced every year due to its rarity.

3. The 'Castagno' honey  is harvested in July and has a deep brown colour due to the presence of 'melata' or non nectar elements. It tastes of malt, curdled milk and toffee or even tomato jam. It is ideal for blood circulation problems and the liver. '

Essential Honey facts

• Honey has less calories and is sweeter than sugar. It is the only food we eat which requires no intervention from nature to our breakfast tables.
• The queen bee produces something like 2000 eggs per day with no less than 70,000 bees living in a hive serving her every need.
• It's not just honey, wax and royal jelly are also by-products.
• Honey is made from nectar and honeydew from flowers, together with sugar secretions from the bees. These materials are boxed in the hive, sealed with wax and left to transform.
• Whether honey is liquid or crystalised depends on the composition of the nectar and such factors as heat. The quicker the crystalisation, the finer the crystals. There is no difference between liquid or crystalised honey. Whether one is better or not depends on personal taste.
• For every kilo of honey, the 70,000 bees in a hive must have visited 7 million flowers.
• Honey should always be stored away from light. Read on here for how to taste honey correctly.

WHO TO CONTACT

Consorzio Obbligatorio fra gli Apicoltori della Provincia di Gorizia
Viale Trieste 90
34072 Gradisca d'Isonzo (GO)

www.mielisenzaconfini.it/

www.federapi.biz

www.museodelmiele.com