Wonderful Beach Honey from Western Tuscany
A rare and delicious treat from Tenuta di Valgiano
As we move through summer, you might have given thought to spending some time on the beach. But have you considered honey made by beach-dwelling bees? If you appreciate single-origin honey even half as much as I do, don’t miss this one. We have a limited supply in stock at the Deli right now, and it is truly remarkable. In fact, it’s Specialty Food Manager Aislinn McAllister’s current favorite!
Unless you live on the west coast of Tuscany, odds are that you’ve never tried a honey called Miele di Spiaggia. It comes from one of our longtime, top-notch olive oil producers, the Tenuta di Valgiano. While the estate dates back to the 16th century, its place in modern culinary history is relatively recent. Laura di Collobiano, Moreno Petrini, and Saverio Petrilli took over the estate in 1992, with a commitment to turning the fruits of its ancient olive groves into an outstanding olive oil. They began farming biodynamically a few years later, with great results. The oil from the Tenuta di Valgiano estate has won an array of awards, and it’s regularly selected as one of the best in Italy. It’s lush, richly fruity, and outstandingly olivey, with a soft, prickly spiciness that spreads slowly across your tongue. Great on almost anything, from ripe red tomatoes to bruschetta, salad, or steak. The Tenuta di Valgiano team is adamant that the essence of the land must be manifested in each bottle they pack, and to my taste, they succeed in doing that year after year.
The honey comes from the beaches west of Valgiano’s land, where the bees feed on the natural flora that grows along the Lecciana seashore on the Tuscan coast. This area is part of the natural parks of Migliarino San Rossore and Massaciuccoli, where the salty waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea wash up on the sand. In the summer, the winds that Italians call “libeccio” blow salt onto the dunes, and even past them, into the Valgiano olive fields. Pine trees, heather, and helichrysum (a member of the sunflower family) live on the land. The bees sip nectar from their blossoms. And from their diligent work, we get this rare and wonderfully delicious honey.
I’ve been eating a bit of this treat, which we call Seaside Honey here at Zingerman’s, almost daily for the last few weeks. Honestly, in all my years of tasting, I’ve never really tried anything like it. Very thick and golden in color, with a beautiful butterscotch flavor and aroma. Long finish and subtly minty, I think. Terrific on toast or in tea. Tammie, who doesn’t waste time on mediocre food, worked her way through a whole jar in under a week!
In fact, the oil and the honey, served together, make a marvelous combination. Find yourself a nice-looking plate (or even an ugly one if that’s all you have). Put a healthy tablespoonful of the honey onto the center of the plate. Pour some Valgiano Olive Oil around it. Use enough oil to cover the plate and still let the honey stand up in the center, like a mountain rising out of a gold-green lake. Heat a loaf of the Bakehouse’s Paesano Bread in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, until it’s hot in the center and the crust is crispy. Break the loaf open, and as soon as it’s cool enough, grab a chunk and drag it through the honey and the oil. Your day will be markedly better for it.
This honey is a beach vacation for your taste buds. Come grab some now!
