Today I received my very first tray of beautiful, locally sourced and grown Yuzu.

This is my first time being acquainted with the fresh fruit. All my past experiences with Yuzu were with the dried peel, dehydrated tea powder and bottles of syrup.

I think it goes without saying that the fresh fruit really beats all of the above. You get much the same effect as peeling any citrus – an immediate burst of zingy, fresh aroma (that sometimes attacks your eyes at high speed if peeled too close to your face) and then that almost euphoric sense of calmness and well being when the smell fills the air. The aroma of Yuzu is of its own league. To me it sort of resembles that of a Meyer lemon and grapefruit mix… Though I can’t be certain.

Taste wise, the flesh was surprisingly tart and sharp, which explains it’s uses similar to that of lemons, limes and even calamondin. It had a very slight taste of the Yuzu aroma… but it wasn’t that pronounced.

I’d really recommend them for cooking; they open up so many avenues of creativity in the kitchen and I’m sure everyone will find a good use for them!

In Melbourne, Australia, my lot were from:

Mountain Yuzu