Growers and Grocers

I first discovered yuzu (C. junos, or C. ichangensis X C. reticulata var. austera) when my brother brought me a jar of yuzu marmalade from Japan. Yuzu is the Japanese word for the fruit; it’s known as yuja in Korean. This round Asian citrus has a distinctive flavor that is somewhere between lemon and orange. Because of pest and disease issues, however, fresh yuzu are not allowed into the United States, but bottled juice, dried peel, and trees are available for purchase.

Yuzu marmalade is a mixture of the sliced fruit (peel and all) and a sweetener (honey and/or sugar). As far as I know, it is not intended for spreading on toast (serious citrus fans, however, might give it a try); the marmalade’s primary use seems to be for tea. Indeed, a jar I bought at a Korean market in Oakland says “Citron Honey Tea” on the label (see photo above), and is called “Yuja cha” in Korean (lit.: citron tea).

To make a cup of yuzu tea, spoon a few teaspoons of the marmalade into a mug or heat-resistant glass, then fill the mug with hot water. Stir to distribute the flavor and sweetness, and enjoy. On the cold nights and mornings of winter, I’ll be drinking this tea a lot.

The tea aisle of a Korean, Japanese or Chinese market sometimes has other interesting “teas,” like jujube (a.k.a., Chinese date) or fresh ginger, or dried persimmon leaves in bags. I imagine that each have their own health benefits, but I haven’t investigated what they are.

Jars of yuzu marmalade can be found in Asian grocery stores, especially those with Japanese and Korean specialties. The 1 liter jar containing 1 kg of marmalade pictured above was $8, and lasted over a year in my refrigerator.