What is rewarewa?
The Rewarewa is a large tree endemic to New Zealand. It is found throughout the North Island. It can reach 30 meters in height and grows 30 to 40 cm per year. Its flowers are similar to those of the European honeysuckle. This was the name given to it by the settlers. The flowers are bright red and distinctive. In spring, they produce abundant nectar, much appreciated by the island’s endemic passerine bird.
Rewarewa honey is particularly popular with chefs for savoury and spicy dishes. Traditionally, the nectar of the Rewarewa tree was harvested by Maori ancestors. It was used as a sweetener, as it contains around 45% sugars. It is said that the elderly picked Rewarewa flowers in late spring when they were full of nectar and tapped them inside a calabash container to release their contents.
The bark was traditionally used by the Maoris as a healing and coagulant agent.
This tree is still rare in Europe. It can be grown in the open ground in our oceanic regions, in sun or half-shade, in cool, non-calcareous soil.
The taste of rewarewa honey:
Our Rewarewa honey has a beautiful deep amber color, usually with a reddish tinge, and a rich, full-bodied taste. Some say malty. We say it’s simply delicious! Its scent is strong, powerful.
Its taste is characteristic of its scent: liquid, it’s quite powerful, reminiscent of quince paste. When crystallized, it is just as strong in the mouth, giving the impression of biting into a quince paste. Its shelf life is excellent, thanks to a moisture content of 13.9 and an HMF of 5.1.
Properties and benefits of Rewarewa honey :
Recent research has also shown that Rewarewa honey is also very promising for its anti-inflammatory properties.
It was Dr Peter Molan, the famous biochemist who discovered the antibiotic properties of Manuka honey, who claimed that rewarewa honey has the highest hydrogen peroxide activity of all honeys. manuka honey. It is therefore an excellent bactericide and anti-bacterial. Also rich in anti-oxidants, it is ideal for energizing the body and general health.
Professor Williams in his book on Maori rongoa also notes that the inner bark was applied in its raw state by bushmen to stem the flow of blood from cuts. Used as a dressing, therefore, rewarewa honey is just the thing!
These traditional uses point to some of the properties we now find in our Rewarewa honey.
In 1987, it was discovered that the bark of the Rewarewa tree contained beta-sitosterol, a major component of an American patented drug used to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Did you know?
The wood of the rewarewa has good acoustic qualities, making it popular in violin making
