by Marissa Baumann
Last September I moved to the Bay Area after spending four years living in Japan. When people learn this about me the logical questions follow...Do you speak Japanese? Do you love Japanese food? What things do you miss the most? And my answers are always the same...Speak? Yes, a bit. Food? Yes. What do I miss the most? My friends. The baths. And yuzu...
Yuzu is a small citrus fruit, kind of like (an totally un-like) a lemon/grapefruit/mandarin. It's traditionally added to baths on the winter solstice to promote health and well-being for the winter months. I was lucky enough to be living in Kochi Prefecture, one of the main places in Japan where yuzu is grown. Many small mountain villages in the area make their living off of yuzu alone and it's in everything...sauces, sweets, juice, cough drops, even popsicles (which I lived off of in the summer).
I fell in love with the flavor of yuzu and kept my eye out for it everywhere. One day I went into a coffee shop, and there on the counter was a jar of yuzu marmalade. I asked the barista about it and was told that, while it could be used as a spread (they used it as a filling in cakes too) it was most often used as tea. Yuzucha. I gave him an incredulous look and he started to explain...A tablespoon or two, depending on your tastes, dissolved in hot water and you had a sweet, citrusy, soothing tea. Pour it over ice and it was a cool refreshing drink. Blend it with ice and water and it was a delicious slushy. He said his mother even used it as a glaze for fish! I was starting to see the possibilities...and they were all delicious.
Yuzu is one of those flavors that is unlike anything I've had before or since. It's really unique to Japan and tied to most of the best memories of my time there. It's the only flavor I still crave since I came back and the only food I really miss. Luckily for me The Pasta Shop has yuzu marmalade now! I encourage you to get some and see for yourself how fantastic it is.
Here's just a few ideas for your big jar...
Drinks..
Desserts..
And the marmalade classic...on toast or scones with tea (and try it with some fresh chevre or clotted cream as well!)
I'm sure you'll think of more and be sure to share them with us! Happy yuzu-ing!
