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Yuzu
Yuzu branch with ripe fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Citrus
Species:	C. ichangensis x C. reticulata var. austera
Binomial name
Citrus ichangensis x Citrus reticulata var. austera

The yuzu (Citrus ichangensis x C. reticulata, formerly C. junos Siebold ex. Tanaka; Japanese ユズ, 柚, 柚子 (yuzu); 유자 (yuja) in Korean; from Chinese 柚子, yòuzi) is a citrus fruit and plant originating in East Asia. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. The fruit looks a bit like a very small grapefruit with an uneven skin, and can be either yellow or green depending on the degree of ripeness. Yuzu fruits, which are very aromatic, typically range between 5.5 and 7.5 cm in diameter, but can be as large as a grapefruit (up to 10 cm or larger).

[edit] Description

Yuzu forms an upright shrub or small tree, which commonly contains numerous large thorns. Leaves are notable for a large petiole, resembling those of the related kaffir lime and ichang papeda, and are heavily scented. Yuzu closely resemble sudachi in many regards; they share a similar mandarin-ichang papeda ancestry, though sudachi will eventually ripen to an orange color, and there are subtle differences in the flavor of the fruit.

The Yuzu originated in China, and also grows wild in central China and Tibet. It was introduced to Japan and Korea during the Tang Dynasty and it is in these nations that it is cultivated most widely.^[1] Confusingly, in modern Chinese, the name 柚子 (yòuzi) refers to the pomelo, while the yuzu is known as 香橙 (xiāngchéng).

It is unusual among citrus plants in being relatively frost-hardy, due to its cold-hardy C. ichangensis ancestry, and can be grown in regions with winters at least as low as -9°C (15°F) where more sensitive citrus would not thrive. In Japan, an ornamental version of yuzu called hana yuzu (花ゆず, 花柚子^?) "flower yuzu" is also grown for its flowers rather than its fruit. A sweet variety of yuzu known as the yuku became severely endangered during the 1970s and 1980s; a strong attempt has been made at reviving this varietal in southern Japan.^[2]

Another variety of yuzu with knobby skin is called shishi yuzu (literally "lion yuzu").^photo

[edit] Use in Japanese cuisine

A large, ripe yuzu fruit

A bottle of yuzu vinegar

The yuzu's flavor is tart, closely resembling that of the grapefruit, with overtones of Mandarin orange. It is rarely eaten as a fruit, though in the Japanese cuisine its aromatic zest (outer rind) is used to garnish some dishes, and its juice is commonly used as a seasoning, somewhat like the way the lemon is used in other cuisines. It is an integral ingredient (along with sudachi, daidai, and other similar fruits) in the citrus-based sauce ponzu, and yuzu vinegar is also produced. Yuzu may be used to make marmalade or as an ingredient in cakes. It is also used to make liquor (such as yuzukomachi, 柚子小町) and wine.^[3][4] Yuzu kosho (also yuzukosho, literally "yuzu and pepper"), is a spicy Japanese sauce made from green or yellow yuzu zest, green or red chili peppers, and salt. Slivered yuzu rind is also used to garnish a savory, salty egg-pudding dish called chawanmushi, as well as miso soup.^[5]

It is often used alongside with sudachi and kabosu.

[edit] Use in Korean cuisine

A jar of yujacha

In Korean cuisine, yuzu (called yuja in Korean) is used, thinly sliced and combined with sugar and honey, to make a thick, marmalade-like syrup containing pieces of the chopped rind and fruit. A tablespoon of this syrup (which can either be made at home or purchased in glass jars) stirred into a cup of hot water makes a beverage called yujacha^photo (유자차; also spelled yujacha or yuja-cha, cha meaning "tea" in Korean), or, which is used as a herbal remedy for the common cold and similar winter illnesses.

It is also used to make yuja hwachae, a variety of traditional fruit punch.

[edit] Use in Western cuisines

Beginning in the early 21st century, yuzu has been increasingly used by chefs in the United States and other Western nations, achieving notice in a 2003 article in The New York Times.^[6] Yuzu has also been used in beer, in the Dutch beer called iKi, brewed in Haarlem, Netherlands ^[7] and in Finnish cider called Golden Cap Black, brewed in Finland.

[edit] Other uses

Yuzu is also known for its characteristically strong aroma, and the oil from its skin is marketed as a fragrance. In Japan, bathing with yuzu on Toji (the winter solstice) is a popular custom. The whole fruits are floated in the hot water of the bath (sometimes enclosed in a cloth bag), releasing their aroma. The fruit may also be cut in half, allowing the citrus juice to mingle with the bathwater. The 'yuzuyu,' or yuzu bath, is said to guard against colds, warm the body, and relax the mind.

The body of the taepyeongso, a Korean traditional oboe, is often made from yuzu wood.

[edit] References

• Karp, David. "Secrets Behind Many Chefs' Not-So-Secret Ingredient." The New York Times, December 3, 2003, Dining In, Dining Out/Style Desk, Section F, p. 12.

• Kurokawa, Yoko. "http://www.tokyofoundation.org/en/series/japanese-traditional-foods/vol.-11-the-yuko-a-native-japanese-citrus"

[edit] See also

• Papeda

[edit] External links

• Article about yuzu
• Article from The New York Times
• "Yuzu & Huckleberry: Flavors of the Moment", by Janet Fletcher, from San Francisco Chronicle, Wednesday, May 31, 2006
• Yuzu articles
• Photo of a bottle of yuzu juice
• "Food Marketers Put Taro, Yuzu In Recipe For Growth", by Sonia Reyes, from Brandweek, June 26, 2006

[edit] Listening

• "Cooks Look for Answers to Citrus Freeze", from National Public Radio Weekend Edition Sunday, January 28, 2007