The "corbezzolo" is an ancient but little known fruit.
Argentario is the king of the autumn maquis, flowers and fruits are present at the same time.
Enter the paths and enjoy the ripe red fruits, but be careful not to eat too many! They can be "intoxicating".
You may find yourself drunk on corbezzolo! The butterfly nymph of the corbezzolo knows it well!
Better take it home and try your hand at some curious recipe.
Recipe for corbezzoli jam
- 1 kg of corbezzoli
- 700 g of sugar
- Two glasses of water
- the juice and peel of a lemon
- a sachet of vanilla (better still the berry pulp)
Wash and dry the corbezzoli. Cut them in two and cook with water for about twenty minutes.
Pass all the vegetables and boil again adding sugar, lemon and vanilla. It will take half an hour to thicken. Heat potting and turn the jars upside down to sterilize the caps.
Recipe of the vinegar of corbezzoli
- 20/30 corbezzoli (depending on the size!)
- 1 l of white vinegar
- 4 bay leaves
For this particular vinegar, use not overripe corbezzoli. It will be excellent for salads and raw vegetables.
Put the whole corbezzoli in a possibly dark glass vase. Add the chopped bay leaves and finally cover with the vinegar. Leave to infuse for at least 1 month. Every 2/3 days shake the jar. Filter and ... taste!
Recipe for corbezzoli liqueur
- 1 Kg of corbezzoli
- 1 l of alcohol for sweets
- 1 l of water
- 600 g of sugar
A liqueur with a warm orange color and a flavor that will surprise you.
Infuse the corbezzoli in alcohol for 40 days. Strain and squeeze the fruit with the potato masher to release all the juice. Prepare a syrup with water and sugar: when it has cooled, add the corbezzoli alcohol and mix well. Let stand for another 20 days by shaking the jar every 2/3 days. Filtered and bottled.
Honey from corbezzolo
This is not a recipe but a tip ..... taste it, even if it is not really for everyone because it is not sweetener!
From the corbezzoli flowers the bees derive a very special honey that you will find here in Maremma.
It is a bitter honey, with a scent of coffee grounds, amber in color when liquid but which crystallizes easily becoming a hazelnut cream. It has antioxidant, balsamic and excellent properties for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Excellent to calm the cough.
In the kitchen it enhances the flavors of sweet cheeses (ricotta, robiola) but also of a good seasoned pecorino.
Those who love coffee will pleasantly discover that corbezzolo honey does not alter its flavor.
