Belonging to the genus citrus (family of rutaceae), the cedar is considered one of the three citrus species from which all the members of the genus known today derive.
The plant is a small bush that can reach 4 meters in height, originating in Southeast Asia, more precisely the area covered by today's this plant reached Europe in very remote times, as evidenced by the origin of the Greek terms ("kedros" ) and Latin ("citrus") belonging to the so-called Mediterranean languages, ie pre-Indo-European.
This fruit, is currently grown in the Mediterranean area, in the Middle East, India and Indonesia, as well as in Australia, Brazil and the USA. The cedar was already known in Italy at the time of The Magna Graecia and the Romansamong, whom Pliny the Elder classified it in his Naturalis Historia as The "Assyrian apple". It is well worth recalling that, at that time, the cedar was not used as food (this occurred approximately two centuries later) but as a repellent against mosquitoes and other harmful insects, similar to citronella.
Nowadays, in our country, the cedar, and more particularly the Diamante’ s variety, is very widespread along the Riviera of The Cedri in Calabria (from which the name of The Calabrian cedar derives), along the coastal strip of the high Tyrrhenian coast that goes from Belvedere Marittimo to Tortora. Furthermore it is always cultivated in the Mediterranean area, in Sicily, Campania, Palestine and Lebanon, in varieties with both sour and sweet pulp (the most famous being the sweet cedar of Corsica).
Rich in vitamins and minerals, the cededar has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, the colon, intestine, stomach, hair and kidneys. It is also rich in flavonoids, powerful antioxidants and has germicidal, disinfectant propreties, it also has digestive, laxative and anti-tumoral properties, in particular regarding for the colon. Not to mention that it is also a valid ally when it comes to counteracting valuable abdominal gases. It is also a natural antihypertensive and an excellent ally in cases of cystitis and kidney disorders.
Excellent for the preparation of drinks in which the juice is simply squeezed, likewise extremely useful in the preparation of tasty syrups, making your pancakes and cakes really tasty, or even in the preparation of citron drinks.
Exceptional in summer salads combined with fennel and tuna, it’ s up to you wheter to consume only the pulp or even the albedo, ie the white part, edible with the thickness depending on the variety.
It is also recommended in combination with fish or, why not, to give a tangy touch to a cold summer pasta dish.
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