Oro dell’Etna
In the province of Catania there is something named “Oro dell’Etna” the Etna’s gold and it isn’t a precious metal but a food a delicious food, a precious food. It’s the Etna's honey!
The honey production business
Many Sicilians produce honey, and for them, it represents a valid source of income.
You have to know that on Etna slopes there's a little town named "Zafferana Etnea”. In this village, There is the greatest concentration of honey producers in Italy.
On a population of about 9000 people, there are almost 900 beekeepers it's about the 10% of the whole population!!!
Different Tastes Of Honey
The different kinds of honey produced are mainly 8:
- Orange blossom (Citrus)
- Orange
- Eucalyptus
- One thousand flower honey
- Thyme
- Indian fig
- Chestnut
- Acacia
Furthermore is present a vast production of flavoured honey cream, such as: hazelnut, pistachio nut, banana, strawberry, mixed berries.
The legend
The honey production of Zafferana Etnea began since 1920 and is well-known all over Italy.
The legend tells of an humble boy, a worker that was particularly attracted by the bees and the honey produced by them. So he decided to give up the fields and to dedicate himself to the business of beekeeper. His passion then transformed into work and then the same happened for his family. The families grew and with them also the number of "lapari" (as they are call in Sicilian dialect the beekeepers).
Its healing properties
The honey of Zafferana it is excellent for its healing properties and of course it’s used in pastry making. Very popular are the nougats, "mostaccioli" sweets and the "zeppole" sweets.
As mentioned earlier the Sicilian honey owns very particular healing properties, in fact it’s an excellent laxative, a great mucolytic, and a effective expectorant.
There are thousands of reasons to consume more honey, so what are you waiting for? Type on google: "Zafferana Honey" find an online store and buy a bunch of honey jars and its derivatives!
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