The many properties of bergamot juice are now known to everyone: we know that it is rich in vitamins A, B, C and flavonoids, it helps to fight cholesterol and cardiovascular problems. The consumption of the citrus fruit and especially of the juice ranges in different fields of cooking, from savory dishes to sweets, from the preparation of liqueurs to soft drinks. And not only that: bergamot has been used for centuries for the preparation of essences and perfumes, while recently its properties in the field of aromatherapy have been discovered.

Bergamot Juice: Many Ways to Use It

In this article we will focus on the use of bergamot juice : let's find out together how to consume it and how to preserve it to always use it fresh while keeping its properties intact.

Bergamot Juice: Ideas on How to Consume It

The sour taste of bergamot juice may not be to everyone's taste. Therefore, to reduce the acidity of the juice and make it more palatable, you can adopt one of the following methods:

• Dilute the bergamot with the juice of another fruit: usually apple juice is used, which is very sweet, but you can use any other fruit you like, such as grapes, oranges, pears, and so on.
• Dilute with water and sugar: you can create a sweet but healthy drink by using a natural sweetener such as stevia instead of sugar. Simply dilute the bergamot juice with a little water and sweetener to taste.
• Add a fruit syrup: simply choose a syrup of your favorite fruit, mix and serve chilled.

Our advice is to mix the bergamot juice with a fresh orange or tangerine clementine juice without added sugar.

Bergamot Juice: Tips on How to Use It

As we anticipated, bergamot juice can be used in a thousand ways in the kitchen, as a special ingredient in the preparation of both savory and sweet dishes. However, if you intend to use it as a basic ingredient, here are some ideas to make in a short time.

Bergamot Granita

The recipe is really simple, you will need to have on hand:

• 250 g of sugar
• 500 ml of bergamot juice
• 400 ml of water

Heat the water in a saucepan, adding the sugar a little at a time and cook until it is completely dissolved. Let it cool, squeeze the bergamots until you get 500 ml of juice and add to the syrup. Place in a metal container and store in the freezer, stirring every 30 minutes for 3 hours.

Bergamot Syrup

As we said, 100% pure juice has a sour taste, so an alternative, in addition to those suggested in the previous paragraphs, is to prepare a syrup. Here's how to do it:

• 400 g of bergamot juice
• 100 g of water
• 1 kg of granulated sugar

Peel the bergamots , keeping the peel aside, squeeze them and filter the juice. Cut the peels into strips and infuse them in the juice for about 30 minutes. Dissolve the sugar in a saucepan with the water, then add the bergamot juice and boil everything until you get a thicker mixture. Store in sterilized glass bottles.

With the syrup obtained you can prepare tasty drinks: just dilute the syrup in a glass of water and add a few ice cubes, or use it to flavor fruit juices, tea or ice cream.

Bergamot Juice: How to Preserve It

Do you want to have bergamot juice ready to use? Then all you have to do is squeeze a little of these citrus fruits, filter the juice and store it in the following ways:

• Pure, in the refrigerator in a glass bottle for a few days.
• Mixed with another fruit juice, in the fridge for a few days.
• In ice cubes, to be diluted with a little warm water.
• In a spray bottle, so you can spray the juice on salads, meat and so on-

The bergamot fruit is harvested from November until late February. On this site you can find organic bergamots for sale.