Has anyone, (legally) imported lemons from the Amalfi Coast to the U.S.? I have been making Limoncello for many years while living overseas and Italy but now that I am back home, I just can't find any good lemons to use. Even the organic ones have a coating on them that just doesn't taste the same. Does anyone know of an exporter? Gratzie Mille!:confused:
Dan

Once I met on the airplane a guy who sold Cedri and he was just flying back to Italy after attending a fancy food show. Apparently il cedro is used by Jewish religios cerimony and a sincle piece cold go for 50 Dollar or more ( in a wooden presentation box ) -

I guess that legally importing lemons would have the same issue but I am not sure that would make much economic sense -
Paolo

Dan,
I remember getting yelled at the first time I saw those huge lemons in Amalfi. I just had to touch it to see if it was real. The woman yelled at me so much I bought it. I still remember the fragranza. It lasted us 2 days. I too have tried making it but have never come close to that taste. Maybe we can get together when you come to the island to eat and raise a glass or 2. Buona Fortuna nella tua ricerca!

Ed

Has anyone, (legally) imported lemons from the Amalfi Coast to the U.S.? I have been making Limoncello for many years while living overseas and Italy but now that I am back home, I just can't find any good lemons to use. Even the organic ones have a coating on them that just doesn't taste the same. Does anyone know of an exporter? Gratzie Mille!:confused:
Dan

Ciao Danno

Contact Pierluigi Dato from the international marketing department at the port of Gioia Tauro in Reggio Calabria. Company Name: Saimare Gioia Tauro S.r.l Area Portuale di Gioia Tauro 89026 San Ferdinando Reggio Calabria
Email: piero@saimaregit.it
Tel: +39 0966 761508 Fax: +39 0966 761522
I use the port of Gioia Tauro for transporting building materials into Calabria from Canada and Pierluigi Dato should be able to hook you up with a lemon exporter. Most of the lemons used to make limoncello in Italy are from the region of Calabria and Sicily along the coast of Lamezia.
If you are interested in purchasing a lemon farm in Calabria, I have a few for sale.
Salve
Frank Tarsitano
www.italysouth.org

Frank, thanks for the info . I will try and contact Pierluigi and see what happens. I want to start my own business here for making Limoncello, but in Virginia , it is very hard. First I have to apply for a distillers license and then go from there.
I checked out your website, very interesting. After all the years that I have lived and visited Italy, I never went down south to Calabria, my car always turned to the Amalfi Coast:) .
So , you have several Lemon orchards for sale, Hmmmm.
Ciao, Dan

Eduardo, I never used those soccer ball sized lemons. The ones I used were the size of softballs and I just picked them off the trees in my yard. It was very inexpensive to make it in Italy. The price of lemons here in Virginia are a dollar a piece and that is for small ones. So, if I start my own distillery , I will need to see about importing the lemons, it may be expensive to do that as well, but the lemons will so much better and therefor the product.
When I come up to the Vineyard every year, I always bring enough limoncello to last the week. Guess I'll have to bring some extra!
Ciao, dan

Frank, thanks for the info . I will try and contact Pierluigi and see what happens. I want to start my own business here for making Limoncello, but in Virginia , it is very hard. First I have to apply for a distillers license and then go from there.
I checked out your website, very interesting. After all the years that I have lived and visited Italy, I never went down south to Calabria, my car always turned to the Amalfi Coast:) .
So , you have several Lemon orchards for sale, Hmmmm.
Ciao, Dan

Hi Dan
Yes, I have a partner Raffaele Riga who owns a Prendocasa Real Estate agency in Briatico. He speaks English, once lived in New York City before falling in love with a home town girl and returned to Italy. We have been working together for the last 3 years. We have several land sites some we are converting into small developments max 10 houses. Most of the lands for sale are olive farms and lemon farms.
Give him a call as well Cell: 347 7016399 he knows the owners of these Lemon Farms who are exporting. A small container will cost you around 3000 dollars US to have it shipped. You might be better off owning your own lemon farm, if you plan to produce limoncello. It could help speed up your distiller’s application in the US.
Farm land is a smart investment today especially all that is happening on the global markets with respect to food & crop prices. Economists predict land value will exceed building value in the next centuries. That is what I do buy, invest, sale and develop land in Calabria, Italy.
Ciao
Frank