What is yuzu? The Japanese citrus behind REVIVR

Ask a chef about yuzu and you will probably see them smile. This small citrus has gone from a staple of Japanese kitchens to a favourite of restaurants, bars and pastry shops around the world. It is also the taste of REVIVR. So here is a short introduction.

A citrus with a long history

Yuzu, Citrus junos, is generally described as a natural hybrid of a mandarin and a wild citrus called Ichang papeda. Botanists still debate the details of its family tree. It most likely comes from central China, and it reached Japan and Korea many centuries ago.

Today, it is grown in Japan, Korea and China. In Korea it is called yuja. Part of its character comes from the papeda side of the family: yuzu trees are relatively hardy in the cold, which is unusual for a citrus.

What it looks like

A yuzu is about the size of a mandarin. The skin is thick, bumpy and very fragrant, and it turns from green to yellow as it ripens. Inside, there are lots of seeds and not much juice.

That is one reason yuzu has long been a premium ingredient. You need a lot of fruit for a little juice, and the zest is as valued as the juice itself.

What it tastes like

Yuzu sits somewhere between lemon, mandarin and grapefruit. It is tart like a lemon, but rounder and less sharp. It has the floral, almost perfumed side of a mandarin. And it finishes with a light bitterness, close to grapefruit.

The aroma is the real signature. Even a small amount of yuzu changes a dish. That is why chefs often use it as a finishing touch rather than a main ingredient.

How it is used

In Japan and Korea, yuzu shows up across the whole kitchen:

• Ponzu, a citrus and soy sauce served with grilled fish, dumplings and salads.
• Yuzu kosho, a fermented paste of yuzu zest, chilli and salt.
• Yuja-cha in Korea, a sweet citrus preserve stirred into hot water.
• Thin strips of zest in clear soups and hot pots.
• Desserts, sorbets and cocktails, which is how many people in Europe first taste it.

There is even a tradition in Japan of taking a hot bath with whole yuzu fruits floating in the water on the winter solstice. Mostly for the scent.

Why yuzu for an electrolyte drink

Minerals have a taste. Sodium, potassium and magnesium can come across as salty or slightly mineral, which is why many electrolyte drinks hide them under a lot of sugar and strong fruit flavours.

We wanted the opposite. A drink that tastes clean and grown up, without a sugary finish. Yuzu works well for that. Its tartness and aroma carry the minerals naturally, and its light bitterness keeps the taste dry and fresh rather than sweet.

It also simply tastes different. Lemon and orange are everywhere. Yuzu still feels a little special.

What is in the can

To be clear about our recipe: the yuzu taste in REVIVR comes from natural flavouring. It sits on a base of water and lemon juice from concentrate (3%), with a light sparkle from carbon dioxide. The full ingredient list is short:

• Water
• Lemon juice from concentrate (3%)
• Acidifier (citric acid)
• Carbon dioxide
• Acidity regulator (sodium citrate)
• Minerals: potassium and magnesium citrates
• Natural flavouring
• Sweetener (steviol glycosides)

That gives 608 mg of electrolytes per 330 ml can, with 0 g of sugar and no caffeine. Vegan, gluten-free and without preservatives.

Try it cold

Yuzu is at its best when it is cold. Keep a few cans of REVIVR in the fridge and taste it on its own first, before or after a session, or at your desk in the afternoon. Developed in Switzerland, with a citrus that has travelled a long way to get there.

Sources

• University of California Riverside, Citrus Variety Collection, Citrus junos: citrusvariety.ucr.edu/crc1216