- The story of the Calabrian Etrog citron illustrates the often overlooked part religion plays in transforming the landscape. While citrus is associated with areas of Mediterranean climate, it is practically a newcomer to the Mediterranean itself and was introduced there through what is today the least familiar member of the species – the citron or Citrus medica. This fruit was the first of its genus to be cultivated intensively in the Fertile Crescent of the ancient Near East. It owed its distribution into the Roman Mediterranean to the Greeks, Arabs and the Jews, for whom the citron had become an object essential for the celebration of Sukkot.
- During the First Crusade, Southern Italy fell to the Normans, which encouraged Calabrian Jews to engage in the agricultural trades. By the 12th century, the communities were thriving. Since then, the harvest of the Diamante Citron or Etrog has remained a regional tradition.
- There are religious interpretations that relate the Etrog to the Garden of Eden. The fragrance is said to be the “Fragrance of Heaven”, and the Etrog itself is associated with righteousness, goodness and desirability.
- The brisk character of Myrtle marries with leafy nuances emulating the freshly opened fronds of palm trees. An unexpected mouthwatering accent follows, with Smyrna Date fruit and elegant Cedar wood from Lebanon.
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