Acacia and chestnut of Lunigiana, the Tuscan mountain area on the border with Liguria and Emilia, allow obtaining two quality excellences which the experts consider as 'perfect' honeys.
Purest acacia of Lunigiana
Acacia honey of Lunigiana remains clear and liquid for a long time. Its colour is very clear, ranging from pale yellow up to colourless. Its scent is light, not very persistent. Acacia of Lunigiana is characterized by a pronounced fruity, candied scent, incredibly equal to the one of fresh flowers. Its flavour is very sweet, with a pleasant and very light acidity, without any bitter aftertaste.
The intense flavour of chestnut
This honey, too, rich in such active substances as iron, vitamins, amino acids, and other mineral salts, remains for a long time in the liquid state, sometimes presenting a slight crystallization. Its colour is charming dark amber, with reddish hue. Its scent is strong and penetrating; its flavour is persistent, with a more or less pronounced bitter component. Unlike acacia, chestnut honey of Lunigiana is rich in pollen. This feature makes it particularly tasty and characterized by high quality.
The area interested by the production of honey of Lunigiana covers approximately 100,000 hectares in the province of Massa-Carrara, with villages and rural countries characterized by a great beauty as well as a culinary and gastronomic richness. This territory is typically mountainous, but feels the effects of its proximity to the sea. It is suited for beekeeping thanks to the almost absolute absence of pollutants, favourable succession of blooming, and presence of valuable vegetable essences. The production gained the acknowledgement of DOP brand. 60 beekeepers, almost 4,000 beehives, 15 companies for processing and packaging, for a production which ranges from 100 to 200 tons per year, with a difference that can be very strong from one year to another. This happens because of the naturalness of the entire supply chain, which is affected positively or negatively by the weather.
Honey of Lunigiana travels on both national and European markets, especially in the German one, only with the strength of the colour of acacia and chestnut, which shines in g 500 transparent glass jars, its typical packaging. The labels are always characterized by light colour, in the different shades of yellow, almost as if they aim at mixing with the content. The DOP certification of origin is always in view.
Grilled Pecorino cheese and honey of Lunigiana
For this course, Chestnut Honey and semi-mature ‘Pecorino Toscano’ cheese are used. The slices of pecorino (cm 1 high) are grilled on both sides and served warm, each one covered with a teaspoon of boiling honey.
Wholemeal Biscuits with Honey of Lunigiana
In order to prepare them, whole wheat flour, Acacia and Chestnut Honey, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of vanillin and a little baking powder are used. The ingredients must be carefully kneaded, in the quantity of 3 tablespoons of honey and 2 tablespoons of oil per g 200 of flour. Finally baking powder and vanillin are added. With a rolling pin, the few millimetre thick sheet must be rolled. The pastry must rest for half an hour and the cookies are then cut with the help of a glass. The biscuits are cooked in oven at 180 ° C for 15 minutes.
