Description
The Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO honey is produced by the Apis mellifera Iberica species of bee and the nectar from the wild flowers and Mediterranean flora of the Ribatejo region. Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO honey comes in four varieties depending on the largest percentage of pollen type it contains: Serra d'Aire, Albufeira de Castelo de Bode, Bairro and Alto Nabão.
Production Area
Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO is made in the municipal areas of Alcanna, Ourém, Ferriera do Zêzere, Tomar, Vila Nova de Barquinha and Torres Novas, in the district of Santarém.
Production Method
No artificial feeding of the bees is permitted. The honey must be extracted between July and September and must be carried out with the compressed air method or the traditional combing method without the use of repellents. Extraction and filtering must be carried out in the production area itself at a temperature that should not exceed 45°C at any stage.
Appearance and Flavour
Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO honey is made in four varieties that vary in aroma from strongly perfumed to the delicate perfume of wild flowers. The colour varies but is predominantly pale yellow.
History
Testimonies of the presence of bee keeping in the Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO production area date back to at least the 12th century. In fact, in 1178, Dom João Domingues, Master of the Order of the Templars of the Convento di Tomar gave the use of the land round Carvalhal de Cêras to the local inhabitants in exchange for an annual payment of a quarter of their production of olive oil, wine, honey and bees wax. Also, the fresco of Saint Ambrose, the patron saint of bee keepers, in the Capela Secular da Senhora da Conceiçao of Ourém, includes a beehive to represent what the saint usually exhorted his followers to do: "to be as sweet as honey". Lastly, many local place names derive from the making of honey, such as Cêras, Carvalhal de Cêras and Vale das Abelhas.
Gastronomy
Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO must be stored at room temperature away from sources of light and heat. Apart from being eaten just as it is this honey is used in many local recipes for desserts such as broas de mel, sweet bread made with wheat flour, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg which is a traditional recipe that has been handed down for generations.
Marketing
Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO is sold in four different varieties depending on the type of pollen it contains: Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO - Serra d'Aire (rosemary, lavender and mint pollen); Albufeira do Castelo do Bode (heather, myrtle and chestnut pollen); Bairro (thistle, rubus, echio and trefoil pollen); Alto Nabão (principally eucalyptus pollen). It is centrifuged honey and clear, set or in granules. It is sold in glass jars up to a weight of 1 kg.
Distinctive Features
Mel do Ribatejo Norte PDO honey is used today by the inhabitants of the land along the banks of the river Tejo as it has always been in this area, as a natural and traditional remedy for a variety of ailments. For a cough, for example, it is the custom to eat a beetroot that has been filled with honey and baked in the oven, or to prepare half a cup of honey with three cloves of garlic and a radish. For arthritis it is the custom to take two spoonfuls of honey before each meal. They are simple remedies and very much used by the local population.
