Today I planted a bergamot orange that I got from Ken’s. Bergamot is an ingredient for earl gray tea which is named after Charles Earl Gray the British prime minister from 1830 to 1834. No one is really sure why it was named after the him though. There are many interesting theories but maybe he just really liked the combination of bergamot and black tea during tea time. The British are very serious when it comes to afternoon tea.
An essential oil is extracted from the rind of bergamot which is added to food, beverages, and perfumes. Approximately 100 bergamot fruits will make about 3 oz. (85g) of oil. Bergamot is from Reggio di Calabria which is the toe part of Italy and one of my favorite places I visited in Europe. I remember there were a lot of citrus orchards in South Italy and we drove behind many trucks that were stacked tall with fruits and looked like they were about to topple over.
The bergamot fruit is less sour than a lemon but more bitter than a grapefruit. I think it makes an excellent marmalade and it will be used to flavor chocolate as well… like an earl gray chocolate maybe?
Originally posted on 2021-12-27, part of the daily planting journal behind Ha’a Chocolate’s food forest on Hawai’i Island.