Darjeeling, West Bengal

Mirik Citrus Jams and Marmalades

The same Mirik orchard premises that sell winter oranges also stock jams and marmalades made from the citrus fruits grown on the spot, so the jar's fruit comes from the same hill orchards you can walk through. Family orchard visits in Mirik routinely include sampling local jams and preserves alongside the fresh fruit, and the citrus season (late autumn to winter) is when the product is at its peak. It is one of the few packaged local foods a traveller can carry home straight from a Mirik farm gate. A buyer gets small-batch citrus preserves with real local orange and marmalade flavour.

Typical price: ₹150-600

Buying tip: Buy during the winter citrus season (November-February) from the orchard premises on the Mirik road, where the jams and marmalades are made from the farm's own fruit. Check the jar seal and that the contents are local citrus (orange/lemon) rather than imported-flavour mixes.