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Long hot summers and mild winters mean that the Amalfi lemon has ample opportunity to be sweetened by the Italian sun. It also grows in the same volcanic-enriched soil as the tomatoes of this region which are also famed for their special sweetness. Inside, the flesh is acidic, semi-sweet, and very juicy.
Of the different cultivars, the acidic Diamante is more common in Italy. Cedro citrons are usually up to three to four times the length of common lemons and can measure between 10 and 15 inches in diameter. They can weight up to 3-4 pounds each.
The Italian name—Sfusato Amalfitano—refers to the fruit's tapered shape, distinctively different than the rounder varieties of lemons grown elsewhere in Italy. Amalfi Coast lemons are also larger on average than other varieties, with each fruit weighing at least 100 grams.
This isn't your garden variety lemon — Amalfi lemons are a unique breed native to this tiny corner of the world. These lemons are bigger, rounder, and sometimes more bulbous than the varieties you find at home, with softer skin and a sweeter flavor.
Guinness World Records has recognized farmer Aharon Shemoel for growing the world's heaviest lemon on his farm in Kefar Zeitim, Israel. The citrus fruit grew next to another huge lemon; it weighed 5.265 kg. The fruit's circumference was 74 cm and it was 35 cm high; measured on 8 January 2003.
Chula Vista, California (1888 to present)
The Amalfi Coast and Sorrento area produces several different kinds of lemons. The gigantic bumpy lemons are actually citrons, called cedri, and are more for show — they're pulpier than they are juicy, and make a good marmalade.
The ponderosa lemon (Citrus × pyriformis) (also called Skierniewice lemon) is a citrus hybrid of a pomelo and a citron.
Ponderosa lemon is a large fruit with a thick and bumpy rind. Since both the tree and the fruit resemble citron in most respects, there is little doubt that Ponderosa is a hybrid between citron and lemon.
The roots are not very deep, making the trees perfect for growing on the rocky terrain and small terraces on the Amalfi Coast, and they are particularly susceptible to freezing. So those “blankets” do keep the lemons nice and protected during the winter.
The Sorrento lemon, one of the best lemons in Italy, gets its name from the town of Sorrento, southern Italy. The whole Amalfi Coast is known for lemons and limoncello, but Sorrento in particular. Driving on the Amalfi Coast Road, you'll spot terraces of lemon groves climbing high up the steep cliffs.
In 2019, the highest levels of lemon and lime per capita consumption were registered in Argentina (40 kg per person), followed by Mexico (14 kg per person), Spain (10 kg per person) and Turkey (8.25 kg per person), while the world average per capita consumption of lemon and lime was estimated at 2.54 kg per person.
They thrive in the sun-drenched Mediterranean climate of Sicily. The land around Mount Etna, the Mediterranean climate, sunny hot days and cold nights, coupled with volcanic soil, gives Sicilian lemons a unique sweetness and taste that can't be found anywhere else in the world.
The Amalfi region is known worldwide for its lemons.
The lemon is original from the Southeast of Asia, although at the moment it is produced in all the tropical and tempered areas of the globe. The main producing country is Mexico, followed by India, whereas Spain is the first export country of lemons and limes.
Known as 'sfusato Amalfitano' in Italy – sfusato is Italian for 'spindle', presumably an old reference to the lemons' elongated shape – Amalfi lemons are an iconic symbol of Italy's bountiful produce and have been coveted for over a thousand years for their sweet flavour and powerful citrus aroma.
The world's top lemon and lime exporting countries are Spain, Mexico, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Turkey.
Small or large? Research indicates that it's usually a better bargain to buy smaller lemons: you get more juice for your money.
If your lemon tree starts producing giant lemons with very thick skins that don't taste that great, they probably are coming from your tree's rootstock, pomelo or some other form of grapefruit. PUBLISHED: March 11, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. | UPDATED: March 12, 2021 at 5:33 a.m.
The juice can also be stirred into lemonades, cocktails, and sparkling beverages. In addition to the juice, the rind can be zested into vegetables, pasta, and seafood, the whole fruit preserved in salt for extended use, or the fruits can be used as a flavoring for desserts, syrups, and baked goods.
Like the Romans lemon trees were also used as an ornamental plant in early Islamic gardens. Between AD 1000 and 1150 Arab traders distributed the lemon round the Mediterranean region [4], and the first substantial cultivation of lemons in Europe began in Genoa in the middle of the 15th-century.
Lemons are grown all along the Amalfi Coast and on the islands of Capri and Ischia, but Minori has always been known as the center of Lemon activity on the coast.
Located on the northern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula, Sorrento has a view of Naples, Mount Vesuvius and the island of Capri - and oftentimes, that view will be framed by giant citrus fruits native to the area. Citrus, particularly lemons, are an iconic symbol of Sorrento.