THE CHINOTTO DI SAVONA

A UNIQUE PLANT

The Chinotto di Savona has been cultivated by the Parodi Alessandro farm in the hinterland of Final Borgo for three generations.

THE ORIGIN OF THE NAME

The scientific name of Chinotto di Savona is Citrus Aurantium bitter variety and sinensis sub-variety, and it seems to derive from the natural mutation that took place over time of the bitter orange. One of the first historical sources of the chinotto dates back to the 17th century.
It was named Aurantium Sinense in 1646 by Giovanni Battista Ferrari who described the chinotto as a citrus fruit that “has a minimal part of pulp, the innermost body contains nine or ten orange wedges, pleasantly acidic, without seeds.” It is surprising that this seedless citrus fruit was known in Italy from as early as the seventeenth century.

THE CHINOTTO PLANT

The Chinotto plant is an evergreen citrus fruit growing no more than 3-4 metres, on which an incredible wealth of white and fragrant flowers grows in clusters.

The fruit of the Chinotto di Savona is compact, spherical and flattened at the base, no larger than a mandarin, with a bright green colour that turns orange over time. The skin of the Chinotto di Savona is thin, very fragrant and rich in aromatic and digestive substances.

WHERE IT IS GROWN

This particular citrus variety is productively grown only in Liguria, in a small coastal area of ​​the province of Savona between the Municipalities of Varazze and Pietra Ligure, up to a maximum altitude of 300 metres above sea level.

WHEN IT IS HARVESTED
The Chinotto di Savona is picked from mid-September to mid-December. It must be done strictly by hand with the use of special rounded scissors so as not to damage the tender and fragile branches of the plant.

INTERESTING FACTS ON 
CHINOTTO OF SAVONA

There are different types of chinotto: the Savona one has evident morphological differences with other varieties grown in the Mediterranean basin, such as blueberry for example.

The main difference is the fact that the Chinotto di Savona, unlike the blueberry, is seedless (any it has are few and flat) and this characteristic means they can be used in a number of different ways.
Another difference concerns the size of the leaves: in the blueberry they are small, while in the chinotto they are larger. Finally, in the Chinotto di Savona the skin is very thin while the blueberry skin is thick and rough.

VITAMIN C

An important difference to highlight between blueberry and Chinotto di Savona concerns the amount of vitamin C that the two citrus fruits contain in the same ripening phase: blueberry stands at a value of 42 mg/Kg while Chinotto di Savona reaches 332 mg/kg.

Is the Chinotto di Savona second only to the lemon for the citrus fruit that contains the most vitamin C?
In fact, in past centuries chinotto were consumed by sailors (during long transoceanic crossings) to combat scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, which was frequent and very often fatal.
In 1800 the Royal Navy (British military navy) bought in Savona the barrels of chinotto stored in sea water.

DID YOU KNOW THAT…

In the 19th century chinotto production was so widespread and important in the Savona area that on 10 July 1887 a company of chinotto producers was established which would eventually number as many as 152 members.
Since it was a product intended for candying, the Chinotto di Savona was sold by number and according to a predetermined weight and diameter.
The diameter was measured by passing the fruit through rings of different sizes.

I PRODOTTI A BASE DI

CHINOTTO

BASED PRODUCTS OF

CHINOTTO

JAMS
With a pleasantly bitter taste, prepared with both unripe and ripe fruit. It goes beautifully with fresh and aged cheeses. Excellent with ice cream, yogurt and chocolate. It has digestive properties and is rich in vitamin C. (Chinotto di Savona, sugar and lemon).
CHIN'ORO
Milko Druetti of the Antico Frantoio Tavian and Giacomo Parodi of the Azienda Agricola Parodi Alessandro have decided to combine Chinotto with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, simultaneously pressing Taggiasca olives and Chinotto di Savona.
CHIN'ORO has clear orange blossom aromas inserted in a balanced and delicate taste profile with pleasantly acidic and slightly sour hints. Extremely versatile in the kitchen: marinades, raw and uncooked fish, shellfish, meat tartare, fish or meat skewers, bresaola and various salads. It is also suitable for flavouring sweet cakes or biscuits.
CHINOTTO DI SAVONA NECTAR
The Chinotto di Savona nectar is the juice obtained by squeezing the fruit by separating the pulp, to which only water and sugar are added, to make the taste and texture more pleasant.
CHINOTTO DI SAVONA LIQUEUR
Made with chinotto peel, it is quite dry with tonic properties and an aromatic, characteristic flavour. It is served chilled at the end of a meal or at any time of the day.
CHINOTTO AMARETTI
Created from the union of two key elements of the agricultural and artisanal production of the Savonese area, embodying the spirit that unites the coast to the hinterland: the soft amaretto of Sassello and the Chinotto of Savona.
MUSTARD
After candying, a few drops of mustard essence are added to the chinotto in syrup which gives the fruit its characteristic spicy flavour. It goes well with boiled meats, roast pork, cheese and salami platters.
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