Published on: 2026-06-28
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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27 June 2026 Climate and Environment
The medieval town of Sermoneta stretches atop a hill, with the brightly blue Tyrrhenian Sea sparkling to the west, and to the east majestically rises the Lepini mountain range adjoining the Apennines. The winding cobblestone streets and the impressive castle of Sermoneta have hardly changed over the centuries, and in this lively medieval scene with its crenellated fortress walls made of gray stone, towers, and arches, a yellow treasure stands out brightly, glowing under the warm rays of the sun.
Citrus limon Cajentus, which local residents called “trombolotto,” is a fruit bred as a result of crossing the ancient species pomelo or bitter orange, as well as citron. It is believed that this unusual citrus fruit became widespread in the era of long sea voyages because it was larger and could keep fresh longer than ordinary citrus fruits, and its peel could be consumed. Therefore, in this era of great geographical discoveries, sailors took stocks of this fruit with them when they set out on long journeys.
Enclosed gardens where citrus fruits are grown on the modern territory of Sermoneta, located in the central part of Italy, appeared here back in the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, when Lucrezia Borgia – the daughter of the scandalously famous Pope Alexander VI – often stopped in the city castle.
Angela Concu, who grows trombolotto and runs a restaurant here, tells about the history of the city: “The development of Sermoneta was favored by a unique type of urbanization that was implanted here by the Bordji family. In the period 1499–1503, the local residents were given the opportunity to expand the area of their homes.”
© FAO/P.-P. Chito These fenced gardens, whose history dates back to the Middle Ages, can be found in every corner of Sermoneta.
“This initiative received the approval of the local population, and many built extensions with sturdy walls and straw roofs,” he continues. “When Bordjia demanded additional taxes for these extensions, the residents rebelled and demolished these structures, leaving only the walls standing. To avoid paying taxes, they turned the extensions into gardens where they began growing local plants, including lemon trees and trombolotto, which yield a good harvest here.”
These picturesque fenced gardens, created as a result of a tax rebellion several centuries ago, still decorate the central part of Sermoneta today, and through their high stone walls flows a golden glow of lemons and trombolotto.
In recent years, active work has been carried out in Sermoneta to popularize this favorite fruit as an integral component of local culture and identity. Angela participated in an initiative to revive ancient city recipes, including a recipe for oil based on trombolotto, which is crushed with locally produced olives and fourteen local spices, after which it is aged for 30–45 days so that the oil absorbs the aromas, and then bottled.
Local restaurants and chefs are making efforts to spread information about this local delicacy. Specifically for this purpose, Angela has joined forces with the chef, restaurateur, and activist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Kristina Bauerman. Angela has become one of fifteen farmers participating in the Adopt a Farmer program, established by Kristina with the aim of strengthening ties between chefs and farmers.
“The idea for the project came to me during the COVID-19 pandemic: I then thought that we urgently need to establish a connection with the environment, with terroirs, by creating an initiative to support farmers, which would be simple to implement and free of charge,” Kristine says. “Having received guarantees that their products would be purchased on a regular basis, farmers can count on a stable income and plan their activities. And for us, the head chefs, this allows us to pay attention to products that are not so often used in restaurants.”
© FAO/P.-P. Chito Anzhela Konku, engaged in the production of thrombolotte, is actively working on the revival of the culinary traditions of this city.
Kristina began to look for farmers and involve them in her program, selecting specific products and ensuring coordinated procurement throughout the year. She monitors that these products are included in the seasonal menu of her restaurant, and that the waiters can easily answer customers’ questions about agricultural products.
Kristina included dishes using trombolotto, which Angelo grows and harvests, in her restaurant’s menu. “For chefs, it is very important to establish direct relationships with farmers, and when a new product appears, it immediately interests me. I remember very well how I first tried trombolotto grown by Angelo and [her husband] Fabio and how unusual its taste was. I told them that I needed this product. Since then, I have included dishes using trombolotto in my restaurant’s menu year-round.”
Angela shares impressions about working with Kristina: “Participating in Kristina’s project has been an amazing experience for us. Thanks to her, our trombolotto managed to gain much wider distribution, including at the international level, than if we had sold it on our own. Moreover, this gave us the opportunity to collaborate with Kristina in organizing events and popularizing delicacies from Sermoneta.”
Hey, says the mayor of Sermoneta Giuseppe Giovannoli: “We are very glad that our trombolotto has become known abroad. We are proud that Sermoneta is recognized as the homeland of high-quality agricultural products that are part of local culinary traditions.”
This year, FAO dedicates Sustainable Gastronomy Day to raising awareness about the interconnections between the foods we consume and the impact they have on our planet. Moreover, this international day gives us an opportunity to pay tribute to culinary traditions, whose founders paid attention to the selection of ingredients, methods of food production, and the significance for the region and local culture, as well as how food travels from fields to our table.
A special connection that exists between women, both as farmers and as chefs, gains even greater importance in this International Year of Women Farmers. Women play a key role in the functioning of agri-food systems, in all links of the agricultural production and marketing chain, and in the preservation of local traditions. This is exactly the role assigned to Andjela in Sermoneta: she supports the tradition of growing ancient varieties of citrus fruits and revives age-old recipes for preparing dishes from these unique fruits.
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