|
Honey
The production of honey has its ancient origins in the Berici Hills and in the hills of the northern part of Vicenza (in the area of Mt. Grappa and the Brenta and Astico River valleys, in particular). As early as Medieval times, honey from this province was one of the most highly appraised in northern Italy; it must be remembered that in Europe and especially in Italy, in the absence of beet sugar and cane sugar, honey had represented the only concentrated sugar food for thousands of years. The production in Vicenza has always maintained artisan characteristics, entrusted to a century old tradition and experience. Honey produced from plants like the acacia, chestnut, basswood and dandelions as well as the “Multi-flower Mountain” and millefiori hillside varieties are among the most widespread types of honey. Honey requires just a few steps to come from the beehive to the table: extraction by centrifugal force, purification by filtering and decanting are common to all of the products. Following these operations honey can be placed in the classical glass jars and marketed. Other techniques may also be used in order to obtain honey, whose sole purposes however are only to obtain an improved aspect of the product, without altering its characteristics. None of the components of honey can be added or removed in order for the product to be sold. The only concession to modernity is lowering the temperature, which does not alter the substance of the product, although it does improve the physical and aesthetic characteristics. Honey is made almost exclusively from sugars: in fact, sugar represents 95% to 99% of the dry substance of honey and simple sugars such as fructose and glucose, which make up most of these (85%-95%), generally with a prevalence of fructose. In addition to honey, royal jelly and propolis are also produced.
USEFUL ADDRESSES
Associazione Apicoltori dall’Astico al brenta (Astico & Brenta Beekeepers Association)
Piazza Mazzini, 18
36042 Breganze (Vicenza)
Ph. +39 0445 873607
Fax +39 0445 873200
E-mail:
cm.astico.brenta@keycomm.it
Associazione Regionale Produttori di Miele del Veneto
(Veneto Regional Honey
Producers’ Association)
Str. Maddalene, 169
36100 Vicenza
Ph. +39 0444 357905
Fax +39 0444 359378
Associazione provinciale
apicoltori di Vicenza
(Vicenza Province Beekeepers’ Association)
Via della Tecnica, 13
36100 Vicenza
Ph. +39 0444 962564
Fax +39 0444 962563
E-mail: apav@virgilio.it
TRADE FAIRS AND EVENTS
Vicenza
(October): Miele in piazza
(Honey in the Square)
Ph. +39 0444 508023
Breganze
(Mid-November): Mostra miele in occasione dell’antica Fiera di San Martino (Honey Show on occasion of the Ancient Fair of San Martino)
Ph. +39 0445 873618
|
