Holly Smith is the chef-owner of Cafe Juanita, in Seattle WA., an excellent restaurant because Holly is a very creative chef and because she buys the best ingredients available, many from us. One of the products she buys is cardoon honey by Liccu Manias from Sardegna. She was invited to cook a benefit dinner at the end of March at the James Beard House in NYC. The dish they chose for her was Semolina Gnocchi with Cardoon Honey. She said: “I really think it is the honey that sold them on this particular dish…”
The dish was a triumph and here is the recipe.
Hi:
Can you tell me what thistles provide the most nectar for the Cardoon honey (by latin name so there is no confusion)? In English, ‘cardoon’ means ‘artichoke’. Is the predominant thistle then Cynara cardunculus L.?
Or is it mainly Galactites tomentosa?
I am a little confused by the name “cardoon”. Does this mean from artichokes or simply from thistles?
Thanks,
Scott
Ciao Scott! Thank you for writing! Interesting question. I don’t have the Latin name of the cardoon plant. “Cardo” in Italian. It’s NOT the artichoke. It is similar to the artichoke. Don’t you have cardoons, where you live? From webster: : “a large perennial Mediterranean plant (Cynara cardunculus) related to the artichoke and cultivated for its edible root and petioles”. So, yes, it looks like it is what you wrote: Cynara cardunculus.
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Grazie ancora!
I am reading with great interest all about these honeys from Sardinia.
As you describe:
“Luigi Manias produces five varieties of organic honey: Millefiori (one thousand flowers); Eucalyptus; Cardoon; Asphodel and Corbezzolo, a rare honey from the Arbutus Unedo plant that hits the palate with a unique sweetness followed by a pungent and decidedly bitter after taste. Corbezzolo honey is a perfect match for ricotta and other young, creamy cheeses.”
The Corbezzolo sounds good. Also the Eucalyptus…how do I order the Eucalyptus?
Thank you for your help.
Mille Grazie!