Yuzu and other citrus

[Priscilla]

I say, "If it tastes good, do it!"

And then post here and tell us all about. What kind of brown rice vinegar? Please share.

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Erin, I made these yesterday. Just wonderful!

Mine had sat only 4-5 hours when we ate them, the remainder will be properly melded for another meal, but they were so good already.

The brown rice vinegar has a touch of honey, although it is not sweet. Ingredients are brown rice vinegar, honey. English label pasted over the Japanese says: "Marukan" Kuro Su Hachimitsu Iri. It did make the rolls lightly beige, where regular rice vinegar would not have, but the flavor is so good. Apple vinegar as called for in your original recipe is brown, too, I figured.

Thank you so much for the recipe. Will be a regular pickle for me. When yuzu is unavailable I can see my own Meyer lemon making a nice stamen for the callas.

[smallworld]

My favourite citrus, dekopon, is explained in this Japan Times article.this Japan Times article.

[nakji]

That's an interesting article - especially about the theft of the plant stock. But I knew this fruit in Korea as the "Hallabong", famed for growing only on the slopes of Mount Halla on Jeju-do. How did the Koreans start growing this in Korea if it's a Japanese hybrid with murky beginnings?

It's my favourite citrus as well, nothing compares to that incredible sweetness and heady smell. I just wish they weren't so expensive.

[helenjp]

This website quotes a Korean source as saying that the plant was introduced to Korea in 1990, cultivated first on Cheju Island, and later elsewhere in Korea.

However, citrus interbreed with immodest ease, and hybrids are incredibly complicated - I once dreamed that I got hold of a HUGE chart with photographs showing the heritage of all fruiting citrus on earth....I was so disappointed when I realized I had only been dreaming!

[nakji]

Due to some shifty bribery on my part, I just got a hold of a large sack of what the electronic dictionary is calling "Chinese citrons" I think I have about five large ones. I'd like to make citron tea - the kind that's like a marmalade that you pour hot water over? Anyone have any recipes?

[JasonTrue]

The marmalade is just for convenience of storage... you can just boil sugar/honey and water with the fruit until it gels a bit like cranberry sauce, but actually, when I have fresh yuzu, I just slice it and add honey to a cup, then pour hot water over.

Due to some shifty bribery on my part, I just got a hold of a large sack of what the electronic dictionary is calling "Chinese citrons" I think I have about five large ones. I'd like to make citron tea - the kind that's like a marmalade that you pour hot water over? Anyone have any recipes?

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[shinju]

My tiny yuzu tree which was planted about 1 1/2 in Northern CA has finally started to produce.

Gave me 2 small yuzu It's a start nonetheless. Surprisingly these yuzu were not very juicy.

[prasantrin]

Is there a way to tell the difference between yuzu that produce lots of juice vs. those that don't?

My attempt to find Meyer lemons in Japan has been temporarily halted (Meyer lemon season begins in November, so the orchard owner told me), so I want to start using more yuzu.

Since it's out of season right now, would most of the yuzu in the markets be the less juicy kind?

Is there any other citrus fruit in season right now that might make good baked goods? Or that is Meyer lemon-ish (I've never had a Meyer lemon, so I don't even know what it tastes like)? I'm thinking of subbing for lemon juice in lemon bars, lemon pound cake, etc.

Edited April 22, 2009 by prasantrin (log)

[helenjp]

Coming to the end of the Japanese citrus season...the tastiest around right now might be haruka and dekopon. However, I am not sure that they have the "bite" to survive the transition to baked goods.

Dekopon has a deep orange skin with a pronounced nipple and tastes more tangor-like and fragrant; haruka has a lemony color with no more than a slight ring round the base, and has a lighter, milder, sweet taste. They are related, though they look quite different, but I won't go into the convoluted details!

Amanatsu, one of the latest of the citrus, is often nicer in baked goods than in person. Small sponge cakes incorporating finely grated rind and soaked after baking in the juice are fragrant and tangy.

[prasantrin]

Amanatsu sounds perfect! Now to find some. . .

[torakris]

Rona,

I just picked up Meyer lemons yesterday at Seijo Ishii. Do you have one nearby? they had quite a few of them there.

[prasantrin]

Rona,

I just picked up Meyer lemons yesterday at Seijo Ishii. Do you have one nearby? they had quite a few of them there.

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I was going to drop by Seijo Ishii today! I dropped by a couple of weeks ago, but they didn't have any at that time. Was it expensive? Imported? The guy in Mie who grows them sells them for about Y2000 for 2kg. I thought it was reasonable--have I been in Japan too long?

What are you doing with yours? Meyer lemon tart?

[torakris]

Rona,

I just picked up Meyer lemons yesterday at Seijo Ishii. Do you have one nearby? they had quite a few of them there.

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I was going to drop by Seijo Ishii today! I dropped by a couple of weeks ago, but they didn't have any at that time. Was it expensive? Imported? The guy in Mie who grows them sells them for about Y2000 for 2kg. I thought it was reasonable--have I been in Japan too long?

What are you doing with yours? Meyer lemon tart?

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They are from Mie ken, It was one for 158 yen or two for 258 yen. I picked up a pack of two and have no idea what I am going to do with them as I have never had them before. I just noticed them and remembered this thread so I thought I would give them a try. A lemon tart does sound good..

[melonpan]

my good friend sent me a box from her overproductive tree last year. i used them in regular cooking but also made meyer lemon sorbet. good stuff!

also, we used many of the seeds back in october to grow seedlings; apparently they will fruit true from seed.

[JasonTrue]

It would be a little extravagant if paying 150 yen a piece, but I made a nice shiso-meyer lemon lemonade a month or so ago. In Seattle, they run about $4/pound from good suppliers, and sometimes $2-3/lb from sketchier sources.

[prasantrin]

It would be a little extravagant if paying 150 yen a piece, but I made a nice shiso-meyer lemon lemonade a month or so ago. In Seattle, they run about $4/pound from good suppliers, and sometimes $2-3/lb from sketchier sources.

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So Y2000 for 2kg really isn't that bad in terms of price! Can't wait until November when I can try to order them again.

Didn't quite make it to Seijo Ishii, but I'm trying again today!

ETA: None of the three Seijo Ishii stores in my area carry Meyer lemons. Woe is me! Poor Kansai--we never get anything here!

And to top it off, Tokyu Hands doesn't have yuzu extract any more! However will I make my yuzu caramels?

Edited April 28, 2009 by prasantrin (log)

[JasonTrue]

Yes, double the US cost isn't so bad, relatively speaking I've gotten used to thinking that way when buying shochu and sake.

[prasantrin]

Yes, double the US cost isn't so bad, relatively speaking I've gotten used to thinking that way when buying shochu and sake.

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It's not double. It's Y454/pound (Y1000 per kg, 2.2 lbs per kilo). It may actually be a little cheaper in Japan on some days if you take the ever-dropping yen into consideration!

Edited April 29, 2009 by prasantrin (log)

[JasonTrue]

Aha, I misread it as one kilo. Yes, a fair price, and better than the $20-40/lb price for fresh yuzu in the rare moments when it's available in Seattle.

Yes, double the US cost isn't so bad, relatively speaking I've gotten used to thinking that way when buying shochu and sake.

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It's not double. It's Y454/pound (Y1000 per kg, 2.2 lbs per kilo). It may actually be a little cheaper in Japan on some days if you take the ever-dropping yen into consideration!

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