Italian Rhododendron honey
With production concentrated mainly in the Alpine area, rhododendron honey has a particularly delicate flavour and is not too sweet.
It is made by bees who mainly draw their nectar from two types of plant: Rhododendron Ferrugineum and Rhododendron Hirsutum, which grow in acid and limestone soils respectively.
As it crystallises easily, the colour of the liquid honey changes on crystallisation, going from a straw-yellow to white.
Before sugar was extracted from beets and sugar cane, honey was the only sweet substance available. Used in ancient times for sweet and savoury dishes alike, (or even as a medicine), it is one of the oldest known foods. Whole jars of it were found in the tombs of the Pharaohs, still perfectly preserved after 4000 years.
The territory: the Roero Valley
From a more recent geological formation than the Langa, the Roero is a land made up largely of woods and orchards, especially peach trees. The few towns and villages found in the area are precariously perched on narrow strips of land. Also a wine growing area, it produces sublime white wines like Arneis Roero d.o.c.g. and Moscato d’Asti d.o.c.g. , as well as fruit.
Scattered with Baroque churches and castles, like the Langa Valley, it has also been the subject of territorial disputes between neighbouring towns.
Have you tried San Lorenzo’s Italian Rhododendron honey? What did you think? Tell us in the comments section!
The Taggiasca olive is grown in some limestone areas of the Ligurian Riviera. Small and sweet-tasting, it is the best olive to make one of Italy’s most famous olive oils (the 
It is also perfect for conserving in brine or oil.
A famous and unique product, 
In Piedmont dialect, “tùma” (toma) is a generic word for cheese, as it represents one of the most common varieties in the mountains and valleys of the region.
A fresh, rare product, not so much because of the special ingredients, but because of how it is made. You rarely find marinated anchovies formed of two fillets joined together, but San Lorenzo anchovies are still perfectly intact: all that’s been removed is the central bone and the head.
Red Pesto is a speciality from Liguria, although there are many versions in traditional Italian cuisine that also go by the name of red pesto - from the spicier varieties from Southern Italy, to more aromatic ones like the Ligurian pesto. San Lorenzo has chosen a Ligurian red pesto, typical of a region divided between coastline and mountains. Basil from the Riviera blends with the sun-baked flavour of dried tomatoes, a handful of aromatic herbs lashings of delicious extra-virgin olive oil and just a tiny hint of chilli pepper.
