Bitter Orange Marmalade

Add a taste of the southern Italian countryside to your pantry with this bitter orange marmalade from Agrimontana. Often known as Seville oranges, as they originated in Spain, bitter oranges have been cultivated in Italy since the 12th century. They thrive in the hot, dry climates to the south; the oranges to make this jam were grown exclusively in Sicily and Calabria. True to their name, these citrus fruits are very low in natural sugars and must be cooked to be enjoyed. But what they lack in sweetness they make up for in fragrance, and their skins are rich in the aromatic oils that make oranges smell like, well, oranges.

Unlike typical marmalades made in the English style, which discard most of the fruit’s pulp and primarily cooks down the peels, this preserve is made following an old Italian recipe. By retaining the pulp and adding small pieces of peel during the cooking process, you get something closer to a juicy orange jam, with notes of that characteristic bittersweet flavor and substantial texture that makes marmalade so unique.

In the northwest of Italy, Piedmont shares a border with France and Switzerland. It’s a region that is reknowned for its agricultural bounty, home to decadent specialties including white truffles, barolo, and arborio rice. Azienda Agrimontana’s history in Piedmont began 50 years ago, when Cesare Bardini began selling jams, candied fruit, and chestnuts in 1972. Bardini had one mission: to share the natural riches of his home across Italy.

To this day, Agrimontana is dedicated to creating deliciously clean products using traditional methods, without added colors, preservatives, or flavorings. They focus on sustainable agriculture that preserves the beauty of their home while encouraging biodiversity.