Welcome to the summary page for FabulousFusionFood's Herb guide to Bergamot along with all the Bergamot containing recipes presented on this site, with 5 recipes in total.

e This is a continuation of an entire series of pages that will, I hope, allow my visitors to better navigate this site. As well as displaying recipes by name, country and region of origin I am now planning a whole series of pages where recipes can be located by meal type and main ingredient. This page gives a listing of all the Cornish recipes added to this site.

These recipes, all contain Bergamot as a major herb flavouring.

Bergamot, Monarda didyma (also known as Bee Balm, American Melissa, Crimson Beebalm, Fragrant Balm, Gold Melissa, Horse Mint, Indian Nettle, Indian Plume, Oswego Tea, Scarlet Beebalm and Scarlet Monarda) is an aromatic herbaceous flowering plant in the Lamiaeae (mint) family native to North America from Maine west to Ohio and south to northern Georgia. Its name is derived from its odour, which is considered very similar to that of the bergamot orange, Citrus bergamia (which is used to flavour Earl Grey tea).

Bergamot is a hardy perennial plant that grows to 0.7–1.5m in height, with the stems square in cross-section. The leaves are opposite on the square stems, 6–15cm long and 3–8cm broad, and dark green with reddish leaf veins and a coarsely-toothed margin; they are glabrous or sparsely pubescent above, with spreading hairs below. It has ragged, bright red tubular flowers 3–4 cm long, borne on showy heads of about 30 together, with reddish bracts. It grows in dense clusters along stream banks, thickets and ditches, flowering from mid to late summer.

Bergamot, due to its showy flowers is extensively grown as an ornamental plant. As a result it has been naturalized in the eastern USA as well as Europe and Asia. The plant was first described in 1569 by the Spanish medical botanist Nicolas de Monardes, whose name is used to identify this genus of plants.

In terms of sensory quality, Monarda petals can taste citrusy or have a peppery quality similar to oregano, depending on variety and where it is grown. The typical composition of the essential oil derived from the leaves is as follows: mainly thymol (51.7%), γ-terpinene (14.3%), p-cymene (9.7%), δ-3-carene (6.2%) and myrcene (3.7%). It is the γ-terpinene that is mainly responsible for the bergamot-like aroma of the leaves.

Traditionally bee balm has a long history of use as a medicinal plant by many Native Americans, including the Blackfeet. The Blackfeet Indians recognized this plant's strong antiseptic action, and used poultices of the plant for skin infections and minor wounds. A tea made from the plant was also used to treat mouth and throat infections caused by dental caries and gingivitis. Bee balm is the natural source of the antiseptic thymol, the primary active ingredient in modern commercial mouthwash formulas.

In terms of culinary usage, the leaves and the flowers are edible. The leaves can be used as a culinary herb and can be brewed either fresh or dry to make teas. Fresh young leaves can be chopped and added to salads and fruit salads. The leaves can also be used, fresh or dried as a direct substitute for sage, particularly in stuffings. They are also very good in tomato-based sauces or where used to flavour pork dishes. The fresh leaves can be added to jellies, punch, lemonade or wine to add extra taste. Bergamot Julep makes a very refreshing drink.

Like all herbs, when added to stews and sauces they should be chopped and added near the end of the cooking time, particularly as the essential oils that produce the distinctive taste are very volatile.