The Amalfi Coast lemon is scientifically known as Sfusato Amalfitano and the body responsible for its preservation is the Consortium for the Promotion of the Amalfi Coast Lemon or 'Consorzio di Tutela del Limone Costa d'Amalfi I.G.P.'
When buying the lemons, lemon liqueur or lemon by-products look out for the I.G.P. logo which is the official acknowledgement that the lemons used were grown in the territory and according to the traditional rules of production.
Although known in Roman times and introduced from the Middle East during the Crusades, the lemon industry along the Amalfi coast really got going during the golden age of discovery.
The fruit was grown to provide vitamin C on long sea voyages to prevent scurvy.
Nevertheless, the Arabic words stuck and limuczello and jardeno entered the language.
Botanist G.B. Ferrari was the first to record the qualities of the local lemons in 1646.
He wrote: 'the nipple is prominent, the rind is rough, pleasantly scented with a sweet taste, the flesh has 8 or 9 segments, the taste is pleasantly sour'.
By the 19th century the lemon has assumed a great social and economic importance and the enormous work of transforming the previously unproductive rural landscape was complete.
Production involved the whole town.
Every lemon was sold individually and women would carry the fruit downhill in 50kg baskets on their shoulders.
Fishermen would transfer the harvest to larger ships moored offshore.
Amalfi coast lemon production today
www.limonecostadamalfiigp.com
