Sugar cane honey produced in Frigiliana

So tasty !

Berenjenas con miel de caña
Berenjenas con miel de caña (blog de Belencilla)

Sugar cane honey production in Andalucia, in Frigiliana


In this article you will find the most important information about the sugarcane honey produced in Axarquia :

  • Origins of sugar cane in Andalucia
  • The last sugarcane honey factory in Frigiliana
  • The sugar cane honey festival
  • Sugar cane honey production
  • Some useful links

cana azucar torre del mar para miel de cana de azucar
sugarcane

The origins of sugar cane in Andalucia


Before presenting sugar cane honey, here are the origins of sugar cane in Andalucia:

It is a plant originating from Asia (Indonesia-New Guinea), which was brought to Andalucia by the Arabs during the Al-Andalus period.


Its exploitation developed on the Costa del Sol (Province of Malaga), and in particular in Axarquia. The first written records of sugar cane in Andalusia date from the 10th century. This plant is used to make sugar.


Today, local production has become very low since the cultivation of sugar cane has been subsidised in the Caribbean.

The last sugar cane factory, in Torre del Mar, closed in 1990.


Torre del mar chimenea azucarera sugar cane museum
Antigua azucarera de Torre del Mar

For the record, in 1492, the Catholic Kings completed the “reconquista” and at the same time financed the voyage of Christopher Columbus, who discovered America for the Spanish crown that same year.


It was Christopher Columbus who was responsible for the introduction of sugar cane in the Caribbean.


The last factory in Europe


The last sugarcane honey factory in continental Europe is located in Andalusia, in one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, Frigiliana.


frigiliana pueblo mas bonito en Axarquia
Frigiliana

With the near cessation of sugar cane cultivation, the production of sugar cane honey has almost disappeared.


Frigiliana and its Ingenio Nuestra Senora del Carmen, remains the only place in Europe to produce it today. This makes it an absolutely unique product.


Ingenio Ntr Sra del Carmen – Frigiliana –

This factory has been in operation since 1725!


visit frigiliana first view sugar cane plantation
Sugar cane plantation in Frigiliana

The Sugar cane honey Festival


frigiliana-sugar-cane-honey-festival 2023

For the gastronomes and the curious, Frigiliana organises the Sugar Cane Honey Festival every year. Don’t miss it to discover this unique product!


This product is frequently used to accompany fried aubergines, cheese and many other foods.


Making sugarcane honey


In the film below, you will see how sugarcane honey is made and how it is used in local Andalusian gastronomy. Watch the video from 1min15s.



Local products made from sugar cane


As we have just seen, this crop was used to produce sugar and sugarcane honey.

However, there is another product that comes from this crop: rum.


Some useful links


Here is a link to other articles on Axarquia.


If you are in Andalucia as part of a tour with several major cities to visit, here are some links that may be of interest:




  • All you need to know about Granada, the Alhambra, the Albaicin neighbourhood before visiting Granada

  • If you are passing through the geographical centre of Andalusia, then you can visit Antequera, with the incredible natural site of El Torcal right next door.

Experiences to discover in the province of Malaga



Find more ideas for visits to authentic Andalusia: see the blog pages on Andalucia.


Here is the link to receive our newsletter from the andaluciamia.com blog


The latest articles on Andalucia


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