San Francisco Blog

Not to put too fine a point on it: chestnut honey stinks. It doesn't smell anything like chestnuts, or honey. Its unique, funky aroma is so odd that if you encounter it for the first time without warning, you might think something was wrong. More than once I've seen other customers in restaurants send dishes that included it back because they thought something had gone off.

Like great stinky cheeses, the flavor is relatively subtle: a bit bitter, slightly smoky, and not very sweet. The most common ways to serve it are with Gorgonzola dolcelatte, a buttery, creamy, slightly blue cheese (though it goes well with almost any creamy blue) or drizzled over roast pears.