Bergamot: the aromatic citrus from Calabria

[Z-Cook]

That’s not much of a draw to spend £3.30 on a single citrus fruit, unless it does amazing things

Depends how much you love the aroma - right up there for me along with grapefruit.

Mainly seems and mostly used for aromatic oils in the peel as a flavouring eg Earl Grey tea and widely in the perfume and fragrance business for classic citrus notes and not cheap

It sounds a bit like kaffir limes..
They are also bitter and you just use the peel.
I do know they are different, but the culinary uses seem similar.

Think so. BTW, Makrut lime is the usual name these days as the k-word was negativity associated with apartheid usage. Must say I prefer Makrut name.

I'm wondering: bergamot marmelade?

It might. Perhaps MyPinchofItaly will try some if they have a treeful Sevilles are right up there in the citrus aromatics for me, too.

 

[Z-Cook]

Apparently fantastic in a Gin and Tonic too!

I bet!

 

[Morning Glory]

I was thinking if using one in the cavity of the roast turkey for Christmas. I was going to use clementines but think that bergamot might be far more aromatic.

 

[Z-Cook]

Bergamot grows in a narrow coastal area of Calabria and harvests are relatively small. Its limited production makes it a rare and precious citrus with a long-standing cultural and culinary tradition

Family in southern Spain has a tree - bought a couple of years ago so don't know how long it takes to bear fruit

 

[badjak]

Makrut lime is the usual name these days

In the states maybe.
Still kaffir lime here and no issue.
In the Netherlands as we know it as Juruk purut (or djeroek poeroet).
I used makrut in an earlier post and (some) people didn't know what it was

 

[SoCalZone10]

I believe I saw Bergamot in some perfume or something similar from my sister’s house, too.

 

[Morning Glory]

I believe I saw Bergamot in some perfume or something similar from my sister’s house, too.

Yes its widely used in perfume.

 

[Z-Cook]

In the states maybe.
Still kaffir lime here and no issue.
In the Netherlands as we know it as Juruk purut (or djeroek poeroet).
I used makrut in an earlier post and (some) people didn't know what it was

In the UK

 

[karadekoolaid]

Without having ever seen the fruit, but tasted the Earl Grey, I'd say it'd be great in a panna cotta or a cheesecake, or an Indian shrikand (hung yoghurt with cardamom and pistachios)