Bergamot honey in Reggio Calabria

Bergamot honey is a fragrant honey infused with the citrus notes of the famous bergamot grown along the coastal strip around Reggio Calabria. It may be produced by bees foraging during the flowering of bergamot groves or from local honey delicately flavored with the fruit’s peel or essence. The result is a light-colored honey with a fresh, floral aroma and a slightly bitter aftertaste typical of bergamot. It is often sold in small artisanal jars that highlight its connection to the local territory. On the palate it immediately recalls the scents of the citrus groves that shape the landscape of the Reggio Calabria coast.

Bergamot is one of the strongest agricultural symbols of the province of Reggio Calabria, where almost all of the world’s production of this citrus fruit is concentrated. Although the fruit is best known for its essential oil used in perfumery and for flavoring Earl Grey tea, in recent decades a range of food products has emerged that celebrates its fragrance. Bergamot honey is part of this gastronomic rediscovery of the fruit. It represents the meeting of local beekeeping and citrus cultivation, two activities deeply rooted in the rural landscape of the area. It is therefore a product that tells the story of the territory through its aroma.