Arbutus honey, Strawberry Tree honey, is not for everyone, but its strong bitter flavor is loved by gourmets and honey connoisseurs worldwide. Known in Sardinia as a Miele Amaro (Bitter Honey), this delicacy is produced from the unusual and beautiful evergreen shrub of the the Arbutus or Strawberry Tree (Arbutus Unedo), a member of the Ericaceae family. Largely seen as specimen trees in gardens and yards around the world, there are few stands of trees grand enough to support even a few hives. Fortunately it grows wild in Sardinia in sufficient numbers to produce honey. It takes its name from its edible fruit that looks like small, round strawberries. In late autumn, when this honey is harvested, the urn-shaped flowers of white, often tinged with pink, emerge and join the orange-scarlet rough fruit now ripening from flowers of the autumn 12 months earlier. This honey is easily recognised thanks to its pungent, fresh fragrance and its decidedly bitter, intense and persistent taste. It is a rare type of honey because strawberry trees blossom in winter, making it difficult for the bees to collect the nectar due to the cold weather. So, the production in the world is very limited, making it a prized honey.
Produced on the slopes of Mount Arci at 800m, area characterized by Mediterranean scrub.
Strawberry tree honey has many therapeutic properties and is popularly used as an diuretic, anti-asthmatic (for bronchial infections), urinary antiseptic and to improve blood circulation and the fruit is edible when fully ripe although it is commonly thought to be mealy and lacking flavor. The ancient naturalist, Pliny The Elder wrote of it in his 15th book of the history of nature, “Surely the fruit is of base or no reckoning at all: no marveile therfore if the Latines gave it the name Unedo (meaning only one), for that one of them is enough to be eaten at once.”
Strawberry Tree honey, the nectar of autumn
The strawberry tree has a tardive blossoming period which takes place around the end of October-November, it produces about half of the nectar of other flowers, thus it has a limited production and it is considered a very rare and precious honey. 90% of the Strawbeery Tree honey comes from Sardinia, it is a high-quality and high-purity honey, thanks to its environmental conditions. It has a light hazel color and a pungent, moderately bitter aroma. Astringent, antiseptic and diuretic, making it beneficial for individuals with urinary tract disorders or asthma. According to recent research, it is also a nutraceutical food: “The Strawberry Tree honey is known to be rich in phenols with highly antioxidant and anti-free radical properties,” which are useful substances against aging.
Thanks to its particular bitterness, the Strawberry Tree honey is a perfect match with salad, fruit, young Pecorino cheese, Ricotta, and vanilla ice cream. Delicious eaten alone or on a slice of carasau bread.
Italy’s rare, surprisingly bitter honey
Honeys with complex flavour profiles like corbezzolo can be analysed as a sommelier analyses a fine wine. Indeed, Italy is home to a national registrar of honey sommeliers, trained by the Bologna-based National Register of Experts in Sensory Analysis of Honey. Beyond its bitterness, corbezzolo honey features sharp notes of balsamic vinegar, pine tree sap, leather, liquorice and coffee with a lingering, smoky finish. It’s often added to coffee to enhance the drink’s bitter aromas. Deep amber in colour, it takes on a light brown hue upon crystallisation.
The Sardinian Bitter Honey: From Ancient Healing Use to Recent Findings
For more info: Beneficial Effects of Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo L.) Honey Supplementation in Men