Coastal Blooms Honey

Coastal Blossom Honey by La Compagnie du Miel, mild with a citrus note

Coastal blossom honey from La Compagnie du Miel is the mildest of the Madagascan varietal honeys, gathered from the buds of the Mokarana. This tree grows only in Madagascar, and the nectar the bees collect from it acquires a slightly tart citrus note.

Coastal blossom honey is the light-colored varietal honey from La Compagnie du Miel, harvested from the forests along the Madagascan coast. In its 170-gram jar, it is pale golden and creamy-soft, sweet and mild at first impression, with a fresh touch that dissipates quickly.

Sweet and mild, with a citrus bite at the finish

Miel du Fleurs de Littoral is the honey for those who find the island's stronger varieties a bit overwhelming.

The aroma features fresh blossoms and a hint of tropical fruit, while the taste on the spoon offers a calm, clear sweetness with no rough edges. Only at the very end does the Mokarana emerge with a tart citrus note that clears away the sweetness and ensures the palate remains fresh.

It is precisely this finish that distinguishes it from ordinary breakfast honey, which often leaves a long-lingering sweetness after the last bite. Here, it fades away lightly, which is why even a second piece of bread is not too much.

Honey for morning toast and seafood

In the morning, a warm brioche with salted butter and a spoonful of this honey is all you need; this honey requires nothing more.

It also pairs well with plain yogurt topped with berries and toasted almonds, and in a cup of Earl Grey, it complements the bergamot note well, as both point in the same citrusy direction.

At La Compagnie du Miel, it sits at the mild end of the range. This makes it the first choice when children are joining for breakfast. Anyone who isn't sure what to expect from a honey from the tropical forest should start here without being caught off guard.

In the warm kitchen, its second talent is revealed. Stir a tablespoon with lime juice, olive oil, and garlic, toss shrimp or scallops in it, and sear them briefly over high heat; the sweetness caramelizes at the edges while the citrus note remains. Served over young fresh goat cheese with coarsely ground pepper, it draws out that same acidity once again.

The Mokarana grows only on this island

The Mokarana is endemic, meaning it is found nowhere else in the world, and it rarely grows taller than six meters.

Beneath its leaves, which can reach up to sixty centimeters in length, are small green buds; this is where the bees forage. They bloom starting in October, and harvesting takes place in November, placing this harvest at the beginning of the rainy season on the coast.

La Compagnie du Miel therefore has this honey extracted separately and names it after the landscape rather than the blossom, because coastal forest here means: salt air, sun, and a tree that almost no one outside of Madagascar knows.

For those wanting to know how strongly the island shapes the taste, this is the easiest starting point. The Mokarana provides little sweetness and a lot of freshness, and both are clearly evident after the very first spoonful.

Spoon-soft at room temperature

The aroma lasts longest in a cool cupboard; it fades more quickly next to the stove. If it firms up in the jar, give it a lukewarm water bath and some time, and it will flow again. For a taste of how far the island's flavors can range, see the Niaouli honey, and find the remaining jars in the La Compagnie du Miel collection.