How to consume bergamot
Calabria's most popular fruit is famous for cocktails, but it is very versatile. Here's why!
Bergamot essential oil... but not only!
Everyone knows the essential oil, but few know how to use it in the kitchen and the question is: how do you eat bergamot? Before revealing the secrets of this fruit, let's take a step back and understand its origins.
Bergamot is an authentic Calabrian PDO, near the tip of our boot it decorates the landscape and has become a real celebrity. It is in fact in this area that the essential oil of bergamot PDO originates.
The name of the fruit derives from the Turkish "beg armudi", literally "Lord's pear tree". It appeared around 1750 in the land of Reggio Calabria and it is thought to be the result of a cross between bitter orange and lime.
How to consume bergamot: uses in the kitchen
Not only in cosmetics, bergamot is also used in confectionery, drinks and spirits.
In the kitchen, however, you can use bergamot in different ways; the flavour of the fresh fruit is difficult to appreciate without a suitable combination, which is why it is better to use it in centrifuges or jams.
A few drops of essential oil – yes, it's edible – are enough to flavour cakes and pies. So let's dispel one myth: it is not a lemon, so it should be used differently. Its particularly bitter and pungent aroma could cost you dearly if handled in the wrong way.
