MONTEVECCHIO - There is a rich agenda of appointments to discover the best varieties of Italian honey and visit the production areas, rich in history, culture, art and traditions. The events dedicated to honey, scheduled from August to October, are organized by the national association Città del Miele: parties, festivals, fairs and meetings to taste and learn about the products of the hive and local recipes. It is a trip to Italy, which boasts over 60 types of honey, some of which are unique in the world, little known and very valuable: among these the strawberry tree honey of Sardinia, the rhododendron honey of the mountain regions, the sunflower honey stand out. from central Italy and orange and eucalyptus from the southern regions.
Among the next appointments we point out the "Honey Festival" in Montevecchio, in the province of Medio Campidano, which hosts the oldest event of honey in Sardinia. The event takes place on 21 and 22 August, together with the annual competition dedicated to the best regional honeys: from the strawberry tree to the asphodel honey and the thistle. Also on August 21st and 22nd, in Montelupone, in the province of Macerata, "Apimarche", a historic event of the Marche beekeepers, takes place.
Montelupone, included in the association "The most beautiful villages in Italy", also hosts the exhibition of honeys linked to the typical blooms of the Marches, from wildflowers to those of acacia, chestnut, sunflower, gorse and sainfoin.
On the last Sunday of August in Poggio Torriana, in the province of Rimini, the "Honey Festival" returns, a fixed appointment with local varieties produced according to ancient recipes. Among the single-flowered honeys, the honeydew from oak and chestnut trees stands out.
The first weekend of September in Bruzolo, in the province of Turin, the "All honey" event is held which allows you to discover the honeys of the Val di Susa, in particular those of heather, dandelion and chestnut, precious high quality products. Mountain. There is also a rich proposal of aromatic herbs for cooking and herbal teas, as well as a series of tastings and culinary combinations to celebrate the products of the hive.
The second weekend of September Montalcino hosts the "Honey Week", a historic event where nectar lovers can find a unique choice of the vast production of Tuscan beekeepers such as wildflower, acacia, clover, ivy, eucalyptus, chestnut and strawberry tree. The following week end in Tornareccio, in the province of Chieti, you can attend the "Queen of Honey", an event that involves the whole historic center with events, tastings and in-depth meetings on territorial honeys and with visits to the producers. It is a delightful opportunity to taste wildflower honeys and those of the mountain, of the mountain, of sainfoin, of sunflower, of savory and of acacia.
The "Sagra del Miele" of Sortino, in Syracuse, takes place on the last weekend of September: the appointment is with Sicilian honeys, among which those of thyme, eucalyptus, orange blossom and of course wildflowers stand out. For honey lovers it is also an experience to discover sanfurricchi, the oldest candies in the world, whose preparation has been handed down from generation to generation, and the famous Sortinese pizzolo made with ricotta and honey.
Also at the end of September there is also the "Regional Honey Fair" of Marentino, near Turin: it is one of the most important events with the presence of honeys from the Piedmont area. The event was organized in the small squares and along the streets of the town, where tastings and culinary combinations are also organized to celebrate and consume the various products on the spot.
On the first weekend of October in Lazise, in the province of Verona, you can participate in "I Giorni del Miele", an event that is part of the "Honey Fair", one of the most significant historical events in the sector, born in the late '70s as an international biennial of beekeeping for agriculture.
At the event there are varieties of honey from all over the national territory and of course local ones such as rhododendron, dandelion, linden and chestnut honey.
"Ottobrata Zafferanese" is a world famous exhibition-market, which takes place every Sunday in October in Zafferana Etnea, Sicily. It is divided into thematic festivals, dedicated to grapes, mushrooms, chestnuts and of course honey typical of the area, among which those of orange blossom, orange, chestnut, eucalyptus, lemon and prickly pear stand out.
"La Festa del Miele" in Belforte all'Isauro, in the province of Pesaro, takes place on the second weekend of October. At the event, sweets, jams and bread with typical local honey are served, such as wildflower, acacia and chestnut honey, with aniseed biscuits and homemade cakes.
From 15 to 17 October "The honey of Alpe Adria" is the event dedicated to the honeys of Friuli Venezia Giulia, which takes place in Sacile, in the province of Pordenone. It is an opportunity to get to know the honeys of the Karst (based on morello cherry, ailanthus and marruca), of the Natisone Valleys with linden-chestnut, locust, maple and dandelion honeys and of the Veneto-Friuli plains with wildflowers and royal jelly.
On 23 and 24 October Limana, near Belluno, organizes the "Honey and Agriculture Fair", a review of honeys linked to the Dolomites, Unesco heritage. The beekeepers of the Apidolomiti Consortium meet mountain honey lovers, including those of rhododendron, chestnut, lime, acacia and dandelion, accompanying them with the flavors of typical local products.
The "Honey Festival" of Châtillon, in the province of Aosta, takes place on the last weekend of October with stalls offering honey sweets and other delicacies. The event also includes the awarding of the winners of the regional competition for Aosta Valley honeys, which sees in the competition light and dark wildflower honey, that of rhododendron, linden, dandelion and chestnut honey.
For more information: citelmiele.it (ANSA).