Yuzu
These highly fragrant fruit are highly prized in Japanese cooking. These are shaped like a mandarin, have a thick oily skin prized for its zingy zest and juice which has a grapefruit/lemony flavour. Some say they are seven times more intense in flavour than a lemon; we not sure where this comes from, but they do have a lovely flavour and can go into any dish that asks for lemons. Yuzu sorbet is to die for.
Available from May-August
Current Facts
Yuzu lime is also known as Japanese Citron and botanically classified as Citrus ichangensis X C. reticulata var. austere. It is a hybrid between the Satsuma mandarin and the Ichang papeda, a slow growing wild citrus which has never been individually cultivated though it is a parent to many hybrids. The name lime is misleading as the Yuzu has no lime parentage. Yuzu is primarily grown for its acidic juice and aromatic zest as the flesh is unpalatable with many seeds. The leaves are highly aromatic and have a rich oil content used in flavoring Asian cuisine, medicinal teas and cocktails.
Description/Taste
Yuzu is a cold hardy tree that produces fruits with thick pebbly rinds and seedy flesh. The tree, branches and twigs are covered in sharp spines that can measure up to 5 millimeters in length. Its leaves are bright green and have a glossy sheen due to their rich aromatic oils. They have a narrow elongated oval shape towards the tip and a short rounded leaflet segment at the base. When crushed, they release a spicy citrus scent and flavor that is a cross between yuzu and pine. - See more at: http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Yuzu_Lime_Leaves_12080.php#sthash.PX9DTMvF.dpuf
Applications
The Yuzu lime is most commonly used for cooking as its peel is laden with citrus aromatics. It is used to create sauces, liquors, vinegars and jams.
Geography/History
The Yuzu lime has two scientific points of origin. It is thought to have originated in Korea and from there was introduced into China. Most scientists maintain that its origins are within the upper regions of the Yangtze River in China, the area that the fruit tree was discovered by Frank Meyer, the same discoverer of the Meyer Lemon. He brought seeds from the yuzu fruit back to America in 1914. Included in his description of the fruit, he noted that he sourced the seeds from the Hubei Provence along the upper slopes of the Yangtze River at an astonishing elevation of 4,000 feet. The temperatures dip below freezing in that area and there are no other citrus varieties that grow near that region. The Yuzu tree is the most popular citrus fruit tree in the Far East, specifically Japan. It is often used as rootstock for satsumas and other cultivated citrus varieties.
See more at: http://www.specialtyproduce.com/produce/Yuzu_Limes_3988.php#sthash.ZUURpdQw.dpuf