Sunflower honey

Miel de tournesol

What it is

A sunflower head is hundreds of separate florets that open in a spiral from the rim inward over about a week, so one field gives the hive a long staggered flow rather than a burst. What comes out is a hard yellow honey that grains coarsely within weeks — a flaw on a breakfast table, and exactly the backbone that nougat and pain d'épices need.

In the kitchen

Its herbaceous edge survives the oven where an acacia would vanish: take it to a third of the sugar in pain d'épices. Keep it out of tea or plain yoghurt, where there is nothing for that edge to push against.

Goes with

Rye flour Orange Anise Ginger Almond Clove Hazelnut

Same species

Jerusalem artichoke Sunflower lecithin Sunflower oil Sunflower seed Sunflower shoots

In season alongside

Lavender honey Marjoram Bergeron apricot Angelica Anise hyssop Apricot

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