Campania Honey

Campania – ‘Il miele della Campania’

The history of Campania is as old as Italy itself. It has been home to Greek philosophers, such as Parmenindes and Zeno of Elea; Latin poets, such as Virgilius who wrote the epic poem, Aeneid; artists, scientists such as Giovanni Battista Della Porta and his masterpiece, Magiae Naturalis (Natural Magic) which lead to the invention of the camera; and many, many more. But to honey historians, perhaps the most interesting person of the past is the Roman author, naturalist and philosopher, Pliny the Elder, who wrote the Naturalis Historia (Latin for “Natural History”), a 37 volume encyclopedia of all knowledge of the time published circa AD 77-79. In volume 11 he writes extensively of bees, hives, the sources of honey, the organization of bees, honeycombs, drones, diseases of bees, queen bees, portents provided by bees and bee-stings. He favors thyme honey above all others, “…The honei which commeth of Thyme, is held to bee the best and most profitable: in colour like gold, in taste right pleasant…”. Pliny the Elder died from inhaling the poison vapors of the erupting Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79.

Of particular interest is the Diecimare Natural Park [English]– ‘Parco Naturale Diecimare‘ managed by the WWF Italy (World Wide Fund for Nature [English]). The 540 acre (220 hectare) park maintains an organic beefarm of about 700,000 bees to take advantage of the protected, natural flora as an example of sustainable farming.

Honey Festival (Cercola, Naples) [English] – ‘La sagra del miele’

• Acacia Campania – ‘Miele di acacia della Campania ’ (Robinia pseudoacacia L.)
• Chestnut Campania – ‘Miele di castagno della Campania’ (Castanea sativa Mill)
• Citrus – Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit – ‘Miele di agrumi’ (Citrus spp.)
• Eucalyptus – Red River Gum – ‘Miele di eucalpito’ (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh)
• Sulla Campania (aka Spanish sainfoin, French honeysuckle, Sweetvetch) – ‘Miele di sulla della Campania’ (Hedysarum coronarium L.)
• Sunflower – ‘Miele di girasole’ (Helianthus annuus L.)
• Wildflower Campania – ‘Miele Millefiori della Campania’

PAT – Honey certified as a Traditional Italian Food.
Honey identified and cataloged by the Arc of Taste (Slow Foods)