3.6 oz Italy Mugolio Pine Syrup is An Italian Gem brought to the world courtesy of Eleanora Cuancia of Primativizia, SNC.

Primativizia is a play on the word “primitive”; Eleanora describes her work as that of a modern nomad-picking and foraging her way through the roots and shrubs of the truly wild and beautiful Dolomite mountains of Italy.

There, the native Mugolio Pine tree blooms in mid May. After their pollination, Eleanora Cuancia gathers up the tiny buds or “gems” offered up by the trees to make her special syrup.

Tucked into glass bottles and left to brown in the sun for several months, the buds release a liquid of concentrated pine perfume. Eleanora filters it, combines it with sugar and cooks it down over a slow fire until it becomes a rich, sweet syrup.

The incredible labor required to produce a small bottle of pine syrup is astonishing. Even more astonishing is the flavor-it has layers of savory and sweet like any good Italian condiment, and inspires mad, adventuresome kitchen forays...I imagined saucing up a whole roast pig with the stuff.

In a more restrained but still enthusiastic way you can use it as a glaze for roasted meats. Try drizzling it on goat cheese or over a panna cotta. Consider the way that pine resembles other resinous flavors like rosemary or mint and take it to the same places: try sweetening iced berry tea with it, or drizzling it on a lemon sorbet. Savor a few drops and discover exactly where the wild things are.