Luigi Manias Corbezzolo Bitter Honey

Corbezzolo honey from Luigi Manias, a third-generation beekeeper in Ales, Sardinia, imported and sold in the US by Gustiamo. It is made from the blossom of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) on rocky, wind-swept Sardinian hills. The seller notes the tree blooms only three months a year and gives about half the nectar of other flowers. The raw honey tastes sweet at first and then turns bitter, with aromas of herbs, coffee and smoke. It may crystallize. Sold in a 200 g jar. Serve it with ricotta and other young, creamy cheeses, over fruit or gelato, or with roasted squash.