Limited production of a unique product, Pompia it’s not a lemon, it’s not a grapefruit, it’s not a citron. It is sa pompìa, a fruit that exists only in Sardinia. This particular citrus fruit is a real rarity and, until 2015, it was not yet recognized even by the scientific community, being called with the denomination “citrus x monstruosa”, which indicated a sort of monstrous lemon.

A Sardinian excellence, presided by “Slow-food” that assigned it its “individuality”, “Sa Pompìa” is a variety of citrus growing exclusively in Sardinia, in the municipalities of Siniscola (80 km, an hour’s drive from the Gabbiano Azzurro Hotel & Suites), of Posada, Torpè and Orosei, in the province of Nuoro.

It looks more like a cedar than a lemon, being as large as a grapefruit, but born from a thorny tree recalling the orange. Its shape is inelegant, with rough and irregular peel, hence called “citrus x monstrousa”, though it is great as a natural medication and it’s also perfect for preparing delicious pastries.
Sa Pompìa is stated to be one of the rarest fruits in the world, a curious crossbreed that belongs to the group of citrus lemon, spontaneously born and grown, offering in late autumn fruits of a bright yellow as big as a grapefruit that may even reach 700 grams of weight. The raw fruit is inedible but once cooked with honey it is used to make pastry by cutting thin candied peel and almonds, as well as marmalade, ice cream, granites, sorbet and also digestif liqueurs. Since the preparation involves a lot of time-consuming work, Sa Pompìa’s pastry is considered for special festivities such as weddings, baptisms, and confirmations.