Japanese Cocktail Hour: The Yuzutini

The long Japanese winter is on its way out, and spring is still a couple weeks away, but I have found a reason to love this time of year: it's yuzu season!  Yuzu ( ゆず) is a type of Japanese citrus fruit which many people describe as a mix between lemon and mandarin orange (though I think it's most like key lime).  I've been cooking with it a lot recently, so I've decided to post my Yuzutini recipe.  It's a basic flavored martini recipe, based largely on the Cosmopolitan.  Enjoy!

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The Yuzutini

1 part vodka, chilled
1 part orange liquor (triple sec, Curaçao, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier), chilled
1-2 parts sweetened yuzu or yuzu and lemon juice (depending on how sweet or strong you like your cocktail)
Fresh yuzu, cut into wedges* (key lime or lemon can be substituted if fresh yuzu is unavailable)


* Watch for seeds, since yuzu tends to have a lot more seeds than other citrus fruit of similar size.

Vodka, yuzu and lemon juice, triple sec, fresh yuzu, and a cocktail glass

1. Cool your martini/cocktail/wine class by filling with ice and cold water.  Set aside.


2. Put some ice cubes into a cocktail shaker or large class.  Pour in the vodka, orange liquor, and yuzu juice.  Squeeze a wedge of yuzu into the mix, making sure to bruise the skin (which adds the flavorful essential oils to the drink).  Mix well.

Fresh yuzu

3. Empty the ice water from the cocktail glass.  Squeeze another wedge of yuzu directly into the glass.  Strain the mixed drink into the glass, making sure to strain out the ice and first wedge of yuzu.  Cheers!

The Yuzutini