Bergamot Lemon

Key points:This rare citrus fruit from Italy is best known in the UK for flavouring Earl Grey tea.It’s the aromatic skin of the fruit that is highly prized.
Bergamot essential oil, distilled from the skin, is widely used in cosmetics, candles and other products (such as the tea). But chefs and cooks are no rediscovering how to cook with the fresh fruit.
There are various varieties of bergamot, such as Femminello, Castagnaro and Fantastico.
Origin:Calabria in Italy.
Season: Approximately November to January.Growing Bergamot is botanically named Citrus bergamia. It may be a cross between a bitter orange and a lime. It is grown on orchards along the Ionian coast in Calabria.
Cooking: Flavour homemade sorbets and gelato.
Grate the zest over burrata cheese or into a risotto or pasta.
Bergamot can be used to make a delightful riff on limoncello.
Swap for lemon when roasting a whole chicken.
Use the juice and zest when making ceviche.
Try in a marmalade, mixing with Seville oranges.