Limone Interdonato Messina

Derived from the Interdonato cultivar, a natural hybrid between lemon and citron, these fragrant lemons are grown along the Ionian Sea coast of the Sicilian province of Messina, in the area extending from the city of Messina to Giardini Naxos.

Named after a Garibaldi colonel Giovanni Interdonato, this variety was first cultivated in 1860 by crossbreeding citron with Ariddaru, a local lemon cultivar. Interestingly, the mother plants can still be found growing in the colonel's Ali Terme villa Reitana. The early ripening Interdonato lemons are characterized by their low citric acid content and a particularly sweet, dainty flavor.

Even though they're widely used in the kitchen, the mildly flavored Interdonato lemons are the best variety to serve with tea or they can be enjoyed fresh.