Su Cracchi de Valoru Cardo (Cardoon or Artichoke Thistle) Honey from Sardinia

250 gram jar - Sardinia, Italy

The Cardoon (or Cardo in Italian) is also known as the artichoke thistle or the globe artichoke. It is a thistle in the sunflower family. Considered an invasive weed in some countries, it’s native to the western and central Mediterranean region. 

Although largely inedible, the flower buds of wild cardoons are widely collected and used in traditional dishes in southern Italy and Sicily, and the pistils of the cardoon flower are used in Spain and Portugal as a vegetable rennet to make certain local cheeses.

The leaf stalks are also served braised or steamed and have an artichoke-like flavor and a hint of bitterness. The cardoon is almost impossible to find in the US.

Naturally crystallized just a few months after harvest, the flavor of Cardoon honey is unique - combining both sweet and sour flavors with a slightly bitterness on the finish.

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