How to make organic Erica carnea honey

How to make organic Erica carnea honey

The production of this honey is one of the rarest for both the habitat and the flowering period of this plant.
The Erica carnea is in fact a perennial spontaneous plant belonging to the family of the ericaceae and its flowers are seeded by the bees; Erica carnea is an excellent mellifera plant and honey can be produced, even monofloral, but it is difficult because these small shrubs are present only in restricted areas.
This plant is typical of the Alps, the northern Apennines and the Apuan Alps; lives at altitudes up to 2500 m s.l.m. in meadows and pastures, on rocky and sunny slopes and in the bright areas on the edge of the coniferous woods. The Erica carnea blooms in March-April and, for this reason, it is a rare honey because it is difficult, in mountain resorts, to have already early spring families of bees already strong enough to produce honey in excess of their needs of spring development. However there is some rare production in the Trentino and Belluno areas.

Obviously then the monofloral production can be increased and facilitated by the cultivation of this plant in addition to the spontaneous ones that grow in these habitats and in certified areas in organic. The main organoleptic characteristics of Erica carnea honey are a light amber color, light yellow when crystallized, medium intensity smell and aroma and persistence. As for the smell, these are the main combinations that are made: hot, toffee, chocolate, herbaceous, slightly animal, cheese, slightly pungent, acidity tip, resinous, slightly ammoniacal, caramelized, vegetable dry hay and flowers dried, dried fruits, licorice, chamomile. Finally the taste; to describe it it is said that its aroma is: mentolato, toffee, honey candy, yogurt, quince, fresh, barley candy, irritant, fruity, of preserved fruit. We also remember that this honey can be useful for an anti-rheumatic action and is anti-anemic and restorative.