Fruit, vegetables and pulses

Cedro di Santa Maria del Cedro (citron)

Cedro di Santa Maria del Cedro PDO: the citron of Calabria's Riviera dei Cedri

Along the upper Tyrrhenian coast of Cosenza, in eighteen towns from Praia a Mare to Diamante, the liscia-diamante citron grows low under shade nets and pergolas. One of the Mediterranean's oldest citrus fruits, it still plays its part in the Jewish feast of Sukkot. It became a PDO in 2023.

• A smooth, unblemished deep-green rind that turns lemon yellow as it ripens
• A remarkably thick layer of white pith beneath the rind, the part that gets candied
• An intense, penetrating aroma; pale yellow-green flesh with a sharp, tangy flavour

How to enjoy it. It shines once worked: candied peel, plain or dipped in chocolate, marmalade, liqueurs and granita. In savoury cooking it partners fish and white meat.

Production areas

Calabria

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