Chestnut Honey

If you're trying varietal honey for the first time, you might want to try this one first. A long-standing favorite of mine, this was the first varietal honey that verified for me that there was more to honey than the stuff squeezed out of plastic bears.

Chestnut honey from Piedmont in northern Italy pours smooth and has a deep, dark amber color. It has a fascinating aroma: a little leather, tobacco, almost smoky, like you're walking in a forest in fall. It has a beautifully bitter flavor that goes great with all sorts of savory foods. Spread a slice of lightly buttered Farm Bread toast with this velvety, golden gift from Italy, or drizzle it over your favorite blue cheese. It's also my favorite honey to add to tea.