Yuzu is lemon’s mellower cousin

March 1, 2023 by
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Yuzu is a form of citrus that has attracted fans well outside of its original East Asian place of origin. Cultivation of the fragrant fruit with floral overtones has expanded to the Mediterranean, New Zealand, and Australia, but whole fruits are still difficult to find in the U.S. However, it’s fairly easy to find the juice, as Aleksandra Crapanzano explains in a Wall Street Journal article about this “citrusy ray of sunshine“.

You can use yuzu almost anywhere you would add lemon: in vinaigrettes, sauces, cocktails and baking. Because the flavor isn’t as sharp as lemon, you can use it more liberally in desserts, says Crapanzano, noting that yuzu “allows for a true infusion of flavor and aroma.” She notes that it pairs well with seafood, and provides a handful of recipes at the end of the article.

The EYB Library also contains a plethora of ideas on how to use yuzu juice and the fruit itself. There are over 2,000 recipes containing yuzu, with 330+ of those available online. Here are some of the most popular recipes:

Category: Antipasto

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4 Comments

  • ellabee  on  March 2, 2023

    Yuzu fruits are inextricably linked for me with the soothing, endearing image of capybaras in a hot fragrant bath at the winter solstice (videos online from a Japanese zoo). Appealing as that is, it doesn’t really inspire me to find & cook with yuzu. But the juice + seafood combination sounds delicious!

  • EmilyR  on  March 2, 2023

    I love yuzu and I’m so happy to be finding more of it here in the US. I searched high and low using gesture and print outs with the Japanese spelling while visiting Japan… yuzu juice, yuzu kosho, whatever I could find. I even bought a marinade at Costco last week. If you happen upon a Muji, get the yuzu kinkan candies!

  • Rinshin  on  March 3, 2023

    Unlike other citrus like lemons and limes that seem to fruit all year long in California, I harvest Yuzu once a year. I harvested back in December.

  • Skamper  on  March 4, 2023

    I was spoiled getting yuzu from my MIL’s garden. Then she moved and I was shocked by how pricey they are in the market!

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