Type

Frutos frescos

Region

Centro

Description

Mafra's Lemon is the fruit obtained from the lemon tree (Citrus limon), of the varieties Lisboa, Galego, Lunário and Eureka. Its peel can vary from green to vibrant yellow and is rough, thick, with an intense lemon aroma, as well as it can present small epidermal defects. Its shape varies from elliptical to spherical, not very regular, sometimes with a marked apex. These lemons have a diameter between 53 and 78mm, yellow flesh with some lumps, and their juice is yellow characteristic of lemon.

Particularity

Sometimes, lemons have small epidermal defects, such as rubbing, due to winds. Another characteristic is that lemons that are harvested in winter have a thicker peel due to the cold, sometimes with larger pockets of essential oils.

History

The lemon tree culture was introduced in the municipality of Mafra in the mid twenties of the twentieth century. Most of the pieces sold by the potters of Mafra were the famous clay jars, for the watermen to carry the water they sold to passers-by in the city of Lisbon. These watermen added lemon juice to the water to keep it fresh and lemon-scented. Then the potters and pottery dealers, who in most cases were also farmers, thought that if they produced lemons, when they sold the jars they would also sell the lemons and with the same transport and the same people, they would make the business more profitable.

Geographic production area

Distritos

LISBOA

Concelhos

MAFRA