Mead Lovers Digest #0180

Published in

· 8 months ago

 

Mead Lover's Digest #180                            Tue 27 July 1993 

 
        Forum for Discussion of Mead Brewing and Consuming 
               John Dilley, Digest Coordinator 

 
Contents: 
  Bergamot ("George Paap") 

 
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Date: 26 Jul 1993 16:21:23 U 
From: "George Paap" <George_Paap@oakqm3.sps.mot.com> 
Subject: Bergamot 

 Bergamot 
 7/26/93      From: george 
 email: george_paap@email.sps.mot.com 
I posted the question about bergamot to the herb list 
I am on.  Hope this helps: 
- -------- 
Bergamot is a bit confusing until you've sorted out all the various 
names. 
I hope I can help clarify some of them. 

The bergamot in Earl Grey tea is the herb _Monarda didyma_.  It is also 
known as Bee Balm, Oswego Tea, and a few other regional names 
(Rooster's 
Comb in the Waterloo area, for example).  This herb is native to North 
America, 
and was used as a tea by the Oswego indians (and undoubtedly several 
other 
native peoples, but the Oswegos got the credit).  It was also adopted 
as a 
tea substitute in New England when tea was scarce after the Boston Tea 
Party. 
I don't know when the name "Earl Grey" was given to the mixture of 
bergamot and 
black tea.  I've made my own Earl Grey tea by mixing black tea with the 
leaves 
and flowers of bergamot.  I prefer the flavour of the flowers, myself, 
although 
the leaves dry better for winter use. 

The Bergamot Orange is a variety of citrus fruit which is grown in 
Southern 
Europe and used in perfumery.  My guess is that the herb was named 
"bergamot" 
because its flavour was reminiscent of this fruit.  There is no 
botanical 
relationship between the two plants. 

There are varieties of mint which are occasionally called "bergamot 
mint". 
I think I've seen _Mentha citrata_ called this, although I'm going on 
memory 
here.  In any case, these mints are not the same as true bergamot, even 
though 
bergamot is in the mint family. 

The best way to know for sure is to look or ask for the botanical name 
Monarda. 

Hope this helps. 

 
Bob Wildfong                                       
bobw@csg.uwaterloo.ca 
Waterloo, Ontario                                  
bobw@csg.waterloo.edu 
AgCan zone 5b, USDA zone 4 

 

 
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End of Mead Lover's Digest 
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