Two recipes with IGP Provence honey

Les Miels de Provence PGI , benefiting from the Protected Geographical Indication, testifies to the floral richness and botanical diversity characteristic of the Mediterranean region. Harvested by bees in the sunny terroir of the Mediterranean rim, these honeys captivate with their unique aromas and distinct sensory characteristics. The PGI Miels de Provence, established in 2003 at the European level, offers official recognition to these honeys, true taste ambassadors of the Provençal beekeeping heritage. To best enjoy the PGI Provence honey, we suggest you discover two delicious recipes to prepare at home.

Recipes with IGP Provence honey:

1. Amandine apple tart with IGP Provence lavender honey

This tart will awaken your taste buds with the sweetness of melting apples, the creaminess of almonds and the richness of honey from the sunny region of Provence.

Ingredients :

For a 22 cm x 22 cm square tart:

• A shortcrust pastry
• 4 organic apples (eat the skin)
• 100 gr of almond powder
• 2 tbsp of Lavender honey from Provence PGI
• 2 organic lemons (zest of one and juice of both)
• 1 egg
• A handful of blackcurrants

Preparation steps:

1. Line the mold with baking paper then with dough.
2. Wash the lemons. Using a grater, remove the zest from one lemon. Squeeze it and keep the juice from the two lemons.
3. In a bowl, mix the almond powder, the whole egg, the zest and juice of a lemon and the honey to obtain a cream.
4. Spread it over the bottom of the tart using the back of a spoon.
5. Wash the apples, cut them into quarters, remove the cores and cut them into thin slices using a mandolin.
6. Gradually dip the slices in a small bowl filled with water and the juice of the second lemon (this prevents the apple slices from oxidizing).
7. Spread the strips evenly over the tart.
8. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°.
9. When removed from the oven, add the blackcurrants.

Focus on IGP Provence Lavender honey:

The IGP Provence Lavender honey has a light color, a creamy texture and a very aromatic floral fragrance. This 100% natural honey leaves a strong sweetness in the mouth and has no bitterness. Discover this delicious nectar with an incomparable taste! Lavender is a fragrant, honey-producing aromatic plant of southern origin that flowers from mid-June to the end of August. During this period, our bees will forage this nectar in the fields of Provence and extract this very special monofloral honey. The IGP Provence Lavender honey has calming and soothing properties. Its regenerative virtues calm coughs and winter ailments such as flu, tonsillitis or colds. Our Provence Lavender honey benefits from the IGP label (protected geographical indication) guaranteeing its geographical origin, its quality, as well as our know-how as beekeepers.

2. Duck breast with IGP Provence honey

Follow us through the preparation steps and discover how to transform these simple ingredients into a delicious feast.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Level: very easy

Ingredients :

• 3 tbsp of IGP Provence honey
• 1 tbsp veal stock dessert
• 1 slice of 1 cm in the width of the piece of butter
• 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 fatty duck breast

Preparation steps: 

1. Grill the duck breast in a frying pan over low heat.
2. When the blood drops, drain it of its juice and remove it from the pan.
3. Deglaze it with the sherry vinegar.
4. Melt the butter, add the honey and pour in the veal stock.
5. Leave to thicken over a fairly high heat.
6. Adjust the seasoning, slice the duck breast into thin strips and keep it warm.
7. Place it on a plate and cover with your honey sauce.

Focus on IGP Provence honey:

Provence PGI honey is a very smooth aromatic amber honey. Amber, it offers a vegetal and floral taste bringing a touch of sunshine to each tasting. Provence PGI honey is a polyfloral honey from the bees' harvest in the French Provençal flora. To do this, our bees forage for different plants and nectars in the fields and scrublands of Provence such as lavender, thyme, heather, savory and rosemary. Amber in color, it offers a very fine vegetal, floral and fruity flavor. Its texture is smooth and its crystallization is rapid. Provence PGI honey has calming and soothing properties. Its regenerative virtues calm coughs and winter ailments such as flu, tonsillitis or colds. Our Provence honey benefits from the PGI label (protected geographical indication) guaranteeing its geographical origin, its quality, as well as our know-how as beekeepers.

What is the PGI? 

The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) is a certification awarded to an agricultural product, whether raw or processed, whose quality, reputation, or other characteristics are closely associated with its geographical place of origin. This recognition encompasses the agricultural, agri-food, and wine sectors. Artisanal PGIs were created in 2013, and currently, around thirty projects are being evaluated at the INPI.

In order to qualify for this Quality and Origin Identification Sign (SIQO), at least one of the stages of production, processing, or development of the product must take place in a specifically defined geographical area. For wine, for example, all operations, from grape harvesting to the finalization of the wine-making process, must take place in the defined geographical area.

The PGI is closely linked to know-how. It does not emerge arbitrarily, but consecrates an existing production by giving it both national and international protection. Based on the reputation of the product, this recognition assumes a marked public notoriety at a given time, associated with know-how or a specific quality attributable to the geographical origin. The rules that guide the development of a PGI are recorded in specifications and are subject to control procedures, implemented by an independent body approved by the INAO.

The diversity of honeys from Provence 

Remarkably diverse, honeys bearing the “IGP Miel de Provence” label stand out for their unique aromatic characteristics. These sweet delights are the fruit of the work of bees, who collect nectar from the heart of the rich Provençal flora. Thus, IGP Miel de Provence honeys reveal pollen and organoleptic traits closely linked to the botanical specificities of the Provençal region. Depending on the location of the hives and the harvest periods, these honeys can be monofloral or polyfloral, thus offering a diversity of varieties under the IGP Miel de Provence label, such as lavender, rosemary, thyme, heather, flower, and scrubland honey, among others.

Monofloral honeys embody the distinctive taste of the predominant flora claimed. For example, a lavender honey should exude a particular fragrance reminiscent of “dry lavender straw”. Its taste is infused with floral and fruity aromas, with notable persistence, while presenting a slightly acidic flavor, devoid of bitterness or aftertaste. In contrast, polyfloral honeys offer a varied aromatic palette, ranging from vegetal to floral or fruity notes, with an intensity ranging from moderate to pronounced. They are often distinguished by a superior aromatic complexity.

The Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) honey from Provence can be found on the market in different forms, whether liquid, creamy, or crystallized. This diversity depends on the floral composition of the honey, the time elapsed since harvest, as well as the specific practices of the beekeeper. It is however essential to note that all honeys from Provence retain a perfectly homogeneous structure. Consequently, any honey with a structural defect is systematically rejected. Thus, a honey with a phase separation or in the process of fractional crystallization cannot be marketed under the name "IGP Honey from Provence". This rigor guarantees that products bearing this designation maintain the quality standards specific to the geographical region of Provence.

Know-how, closely linked to the PGI

The amount of honey produced varies considerably from year to year, being closely linked to the biological development of the plants, in particular to the dates and duration of their flowering, as well as to climatic phenomena. For example, a strong mistral, by drying out the nectar of lavender flowers, can have a negative impact on the harvest. Similarly, a rainy period during the short flowering of the acacia can significantly reduce the production of this honey.

Thus, the beekeeper is obliged to manage various honey production areas in order to guarantee the final quality of the honey product. His expertise is revealed through several aspects, including his in-depth knowledge of the production regions and the locations of the apiaries, his comparative assessment of the evolution of the biological cycles of the plants between them, as well as the adaptive management of the apiaries according to the climatic conditions specific to each production area.

Discover our article on honey production methods right here. 

IGP Provence honeys are much more than just beehive products. Let these recipes guide you, and immerse yourself in the art of savoring Provence, one bite at a time. If you want to know more about IGP Provence honeys, discover our article right here.