Creamy Honey from the Beehive School 500g

This honey comes from Le Rucher de l'École, the farm run by Virginie and William Gay in Saint-Léger-de-Fougeret, in the Nièvre. The label calls them "bee shepherds" in the heart of the Morvan hills for two generations, and the jar carries the Miel de France mention. According to their website, this spring honey is harvested in May on the Nivernais plain.

The honey is extracted by centrifugal force at hive temperature, around 34 °C, and it is not pasteurised. It crystallises on its own; the beekeeper then works it mechanically to get a creamed honey, white to very pale yellow, soft and melting. It avoids the two usual problems: liquid honey that drips off the spoon and hard honey you have to dig out with a knife. The taste is fresh and sweet, with no bitterness.

Spread it on country bread or brioche, melt it into a warm tea or herbal infusion, or stir it into fromage blanc or yoghurt. In the kitchen, one spoonful glazes roasted carrots or a duck breast at the end of cooking. For a gingerbread, warm it briefly in a bain-marie and use it like a runny honey. Keep the jar tightly closed. You will also find it in our shop, 58 rue Tiquetonne, Paris.