DESCRIPTION
The Sorrento Lemon PGI is a fresh citrus fruit of the Citrus limon L., Burmann species, in the local ecotype Ovale di Sorrento also known as Massa Lubrense or Massese Lemon.
PRODUCTION AREA
The production area of Limone di Sorrento PGI includes part of the territory of the municipalities of Vico Equense, Meta, Piano di Sorrento, Sant'Agnello, Sorrento, Massa Lubrense, Capri and Anacapri, in the province of Naples, in the Campania region.
PRODUCTION METHOD
The cultivation generally used is terracing, with the plants incorporated into retaining walls. The cultivation method is free-pot, adapted to a suitable covering system. The trees are in fact grown under the so-called Sorrento pergola, i.e. special scaffolding made up of poles, preferably made of chestnut wood, covered with reeds called straw. The highly repeat-flowering species has as many as five blooms throughout the year and it is therefore possible to harvest over a rather long period of time, which generally runs from January 1st to October 31st. The fruits must be harvested by hand, so as to prevent contact with the ground.rreno.
APPEARANCE AND TASTE
Limone di Sorrento PGI is characterized by an elliptical shape and medium-large dimensions, weighing no less than 85 g. The peel is rich in essential oils which make it particularly fragrant and stands out for its medium thickness and citrine yellow colour. Inside, the pulp is light straw yellow, very succulent, with abundant juice and high acidity, well balanced by the sugar content.
HISTORY
The Sorrento PGI Lemon is the result of a long tradition. The presence of lemon in the Sorrento Peninsula is attested by documentation, sales deeds, paintings, literary and botanical treatises that date back to the Renaissance era, while the first specialized cultivations were apparently the work of the Jesuit Fathers in the 17th century. Even today there is one of the first cultivated lands, called the Gesù, located in the Guarazzanno basin, between Sorrento and Massa Lubrense. This testimony supports the thesis according to which it is precisely from these two municipalities of the Sorrento Peninsula that the names by which the variety is known originated: Ovale di Sorrento and Massese. Cited in the works of Torquato Tasso, originally from Sorrento, Giovanni Pontano and Gianbattista della Porta, in the 18th century the historian Bonaventura Da Sorrento testifies to its shipment all over the world, especially via ships headed for America.a.
GASTRONOMY
Sorrento PGI Lemon should be stored in the refrigerator or in a cool, dry place. It can be consumed fresh or used for the preparation of various recipes, from first courses to second courses, up to desserts, being a very versatile product in the kitchen. Among the characteristic specialties based on Sorrento PGI lemons we cannot fail to mention limoncello, the famous typical liqueur of the area, obtained from the lemon peel infused in an alcoholic solution. Another delicious specialty is also worth trying: jam made from Sorrento PGI lemons.
MARKETING
The product is marketed in the Limone di Sorrento PGI type. It is marketed loose or in rigid containers with a capacity ranging from 0.5 kg up to a maximum of 15 kg, made from plant material, cardboard or other recyclable material. The product is also commercially available processed, as Sorrento PGI Lemon Marmalade and PGI Sorrento Lemon Liqueur.
DISTINCTIVE NOTE
The Sorrento PGI Lemon is grown along the slopes that descend to the sea and is grown under traditional scaffolding that protects it from bad weather and delays its ripening, thus guaranteeing the possibility of harvesting the fruit in a graduated manner throughout almost the entire year.
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