Yuzu is often called the "citrus king" in Japan. It is used in a variety of culinary applications, including ponzu (a citrus-based soy sauce), yuzu kosho (a spicy citrus paste), and as a garnish for dishes like sushi and tempura.

Yuzu is believed to have been introduced to Japan around the 7th century during the Asuka period, brought by Buddhist monks and merchants primarily for its medicinal and aromatic properties.

Yuzu is not just a different citrus—it is a completely different flavor experience from lemon or lime. Same botanical family, radically different character: intensely floral, aromatic, tart but never sharp, with notes of mandarin and grapefruit threaded through a distinctive herbal-green perfume. The zest is more important than the juice. The fruit itself is almost never eaten.

Unlike many juice manufacturers that crush the citrus to extract as much as possible, this juice is finely pressed from the sides to emulate hand squeezing. The result is a pure extract that has elements from the whole fruit—oils from the skin to the juice inside—creating an intense concentration of yuzu flavor. The extracted juice is not sweet; instead it is a full, vibrant flavor of citrus juice combined with the oils from the peel. One bottle contains the juice of 10 Kawakami Yuzu.

Kawakami Yuzu is a native species harvested from wild yuzu seeds. The Toya Kanayama area in Kawakami, Hagi City, was designated as a national "natural monument" in 1941 as a crucial natural habitat for the region's yuzu trees.

Sudachi is a small, round, green citrus fruit of Japanese origin that is a specialty of Tokushima Prefecture. Harvested before it fully ripens to yellow it is cherished for its unique citrus flavor to make sauces, marinades, desserts, and drinks in place of lemon or lime.

Tokushima Prefecture is the primary grower of Sudachi in Japan, producing roughly 97% to 98% of the nation's total supply. Known as a signature "green gem" of the region, this small, aromatic citrus fruit is used as a souring agent in cooking.

Sudachi is golf ball-sized and looks similar to a lime but tastes very different with a strong and refreshing aroma like yuzu, and an intense lemon-like tartness. Sudachi contains more citric acid and often higher levels of vitamin C than a lemon.

It is believed to have been cultivated in Japan for over 400 years. The name "sudachi" derives from the Japanese words "su," meaning vinegar, and "dachi," referring to the citrus family. It is often used as a condiment to add a burst of citrus flavor to dishes.

Japan has a rich yoshoku (Western-influenced) baking culture that developed during the Meiji period and onward. Japanese baking generally favors lighter, less sweet results. Japanese baked goods tend to have more subtle flavors, smaller portion sizes, and less sugar compared to their Western counterparts. Yuzu and sudachi fit perfectly into this lightness of being as they provide brightness and complexity without heaviness.

Sudachi extract is the sharper citrus and has a more defined tartness of the two. The sweet-sour taste of Sudachi is perfect if you want more of a punch. Because its flavor is so intense, it works best as a bright accent in buttery baked goods like cookies, cakes, and glazes, where its tartness can cut through richness.

Yuzu extract is aromatic and complex. It works incredibly well in baking because it is less sharp than a lemon, with a light floral note.

Madeleines were first introduced into Japan in the early Meiji period by craftsmen from Fugetsudo in 1875, the long-established Japanese confectionery store, who were learning how to make Western sweets from a confectionery shop in the foreign settlement of Yokohama. At that time there were no shell-shaped molds, so the batter was poured into circular chrysanthemum molds used for Japanese sweets.

Financiers have also been made in Japan for decades. Financiers are small, moist French almond tea cakes characterized by a crisp, eggshell-like exterior and a rich, nutty flavor, usually baked in small, rectangular molds resembling gold bars. Made with brown butter (beurre noisette), egg whites, powdered sugar, and almond flour, these golden cakes are tender, and chewy. Their buttery richness makes them an ideal pairing for both yuzu and sudachi.

A key rule for both: add the extracts at the end of mixing, or into wet ingredients, and avoid high or prolonged heat where possible. For instance, with glazes and icings, apply the extracts after baking, the flavor will be much more vivid and true to the fruit. You can use Yuzu or Sudachi for these recipes.

This is arguably the most iconic yuzu baking application. Madeleines are one of the oldest popular baked items at cake shops and other western-style sweet stores in Japan. In the old days, Japanese madeleines were small, flat, and round cakes, like short cupcakes, instead of the traditional shell shape, and they were often sold boxed as gifts.

For the basic recipe, beat the eggs and sugar in a stand mixer for 2 minutes. Add flour, grated yuzu peel, and salt, and mix for a couple of minutes. Add melted butter gradually until well mixed. Put the batter in a piping bag. Fill shell indentations of the madeleine pan about 3/4 full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 13-15 minutes, or until slightly browned. Remove from pan, cool, and dust with powdered sugar.

With the yuzu extract, use 1-2 tsps in the batter and an additional tsp mixed into powdered sugar for the dusting glaze.

Yuzu financiers are a perfect way to taste the yuzu fragrance and the brown butter which complement each other beautifully. The financier is a small, golden almond cake made with beurre noisette (brown butter). After baking, remove from the molds and cover them with a torchon while they are hot, which helps keep them moist.

Classic financier ingredients include almond flour, powdered sugar, egg whites, browned butter, flour, and your citrus extract. The yuzu brings its own personality to the nutty richness of the brown butter.

In this recipe, yuzu is used for three parts: the dough, a soaking syrup, and an icing. This use of yuzu brings a wonderful, distinct citrus touch.

To include Yuzu to the cake, while the cake is hot, brush the yuzu extract on top. Let cool, then wrap and refrigerate overnight. For the icing: melt 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, add it to 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and whisk, then add 2 tablespoons of yuzu juice, mix well, and pour over the pound cake.

This "triple yuzu" technique works equally well with sudachi extract for a sharper, more assertively citrus cake.

Mix together the cream cheese, butter, and sugar. Add in the egg, vanilla, and sudachi juice. Sift the flour, powdered sugar, and baking powder together to prevent any lumps.

Take the dough and roll it into about the size of a golf ball, then roll in powdered sugar which helps the dough become smooth and easy to manipulate. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350 degrees for about 9 to 12 minutes.

The result is soft, chewy, sweet-sour, and wonderfully fragrant as the sudachi works much the way lemon does in a classic cream cheese cookie, but with its own distinctive touch.

Keep in mind because these are extracts rather than fresh juice they act differently in recipes.

In batters and doughs, add with the wet ingredients; 1-2 tsp is typically enough for a standard cake recipe.

For glazes and icings, the flavor shines brightest—use 1–2 tbsp mixed into powdered sugar for a vivid citrus finish.

For soaking extracts (brushed on hot cakes)—combine 1-2 tbsp extract with simple syrup while still warm.

Both extracts are best added off heat or at the end of mixing to preserve their volatile aromatic compounds.

What's Happening in the Store

Did you know the store often has more? Did you know we have 2 parking lots?

Come, taste and check it out! Pick your favorite and meet friends new and old who all love food. We love it when you hang out!

April, 2026
Monday - Saturday 10am-5pm
ChefShop Retail Shop, 1425 Elliott Ave West, Seattle - 2 parking lots

The tradition of using sudachi and yuzu as a dressing or seasoning reaches back centuries, and has been used in a wide variety of dishes.

In Japan, a citrus dressing isn't primarily thought of as something you put on a lettuce salad. These sour citrus fruits have long been used in place of vinegar.

You can use sudachi juice and zest in cooking like yuzu, but it has a more robust, refreshing aroma and sourness. Use it like vinegar or soy sauce in salad dressings, marinades, and sauces.

Wafu Dressing — The Classic Japanese Vinaigrette

The foundational Japanese salad dressing is called wafu, meaning "Japanese-style." The standard wafu dressing consists of a mixture of Japanese soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin, and rice bran oil. There are many variations flavored with additional ingredients such as aonori, shiso, grated ginger, katsuobushi, umeboshi puree, wasabi, or citrus fruits such as lemon or yuzu.

To make a yuzu wafu dressing: in a bowl, add 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp dashi stock, 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds, 1 tbsp ground sesame seeds, and 1 tsp sugar. Mix well.

Add 1-2 tsp of Yuzu extract, then mix vigorously. Gradually pour in 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil while whisking. You can also substitute the soy sauce with ponzu for an extra burst of citrus flavor.

This is one of the most beloved dressings in Japanese home cooking.

Add white miso, rice vinegar, yuzu extract, mirin, and sugar to a mason jar.

Whisk it all together until the miso is completely dissolved, then gradually add oil while whisking.

The best miso for this dressing is a mild white miso as its gentle flavor lets the bright yuzu shine through.

This miso-yuzu dressing goes on far more than salad: it's drizzled over cold tofu, roasted vegetables, grilled fish, and cold noodle bowls.

In Kochi Prefecture, sushi is made with yuzu vinegar rather than the usual rice vinegar, while in Tokushima sudachi vinegar is the standard choice.

This is the essential difference between the two—yuzu brings a perfumed, aromatic fun suited to delicate dishes, while sudachi brings a bolder, cleaner acidity that stands up to richer foods.

Yuzu Chuhai – Classic Japanese Cocktail

Chuhai is a cocktail made with Japanese shochu, club soda, and fruit juice that is very popular in Japan and commonly served in izakaya-style restaurants. To make a Yuzu Chuhai: combine 1/2 cup club soda, 1/4 cup shochu, 1 tbsp simple syrup, and 1 tsp yuzu extract in a glass and mix well. Add ice cubes, optionally stir in 1-2 tsp Korean citron tea (yuja cha), and garnish with a slice of lime.

Yuzu Drop Martini

Start by chilling a martini glass or coupe. Once icy-cold, wipe the rim with yuzu and dip into sugar (coating only half the rim). Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, hard shake, and double strain into the chilled glass. Finish with a yuzu wheel or twist. The Japanese Bar Ingredients: 2 oz gin or vodka, 3/4 oz yuzu extract, 1/2 oz triple sec or Cointreau, 1/4 oz simple syrup. In the opinion of many, yuzu drops taste best with gin as gin is more flavorful, floral, and citrusy than vodka, and Japanese gins like Roku, Nikka Coffey Gin, or Matsui "The Hakuto" work particularly well as they include yuzu in their botanicals.

Yuzu Margarita (Cocktail or Mocktail)

For the cocktail: shake yuzu extract with lime juice, agave syrup, and a pinch of salt. Strain into a glass. For the mocktail version: increase the measurements to 1 1/2 oz yuzu juice and 3/4 oz each of agave or simple syrup and fresh lime juice. Shake or mix, then top with tonic or club soda for a sparkling Yuzu Margarita Mocktail.

Yuzu Lemonade (Mocktail)

Pour yuzu juice, lemonade, St-Germain (elderflower liqueur), and sparkling water into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with lemon slices. For a fully non-alcoholic mocktail, omit the St. Germain or swap in a touch of elderflower juice or nectar, and use sparkling water. If it needs extra sweetness, try honey simple syrup or a splash of agave.

Yuzu Gin & Tonic

Yuzu highlights gin's botanicals and pairs especially well with crisp, aromatic gins. The Mixer Simply combines 2 oz gin, 1/2 oz yuzu extract, and top with good tonic water over ice.

Parmigiano-Reggiano and citrus, this is one of my favorite recipes. Quick, simple, perfect.

Bigoli is a traditional pasta from the Veneto region of northeast Italy, and references to Bigoli date from the mid-1400s.

Sgambaro "Mori" (dark) is made from the best durum semolina grown in Italy. The spaghetti Bigoli Nobili Mori pasta is slightly darker and denser than most pasta, and its surface has a rougher texture, perfect for encouraging sauces to cling—and the taste is special!

"Sgambaro is highly regarded as a premium Italian pasta brand, widely praised for its high-quality, 100% Italian durum wheat, bronze-extruded texture, and excellent, firm, and 'al dente' cooking performance."

I always have this in my pantry and on the counter ready for any dish I might be making! It works so well with everything!

Olive oil and Sorrento Lemon! It alone can transform a bowl of pasta or filet of fish from plain Jane to Barbi C'est une tuerie!

The owner of the cheese house mentions that the cows producing the milk are 50% Bruna Alpina, 50% Frisona, with a few Vacche Rossa and Montbeliarde breeds mixed in.

Winter Parmigiano-Reggiano is lighter in color than cheese made at other times of the year, with a much mellower flavor and smoother texture. Of all the seasons, Winter Parmigiano-Reggiano is the most suitable for eating by the chunk, without grating. However, like the cheese from other seasons, this whole Parmesan is also fantastic when grated.

For many Parmigiano-Reggiano lovers they love winter!

This Deep Dark Dutch-processed dark unsweetened cocoa powder is in a class unto itself. We have removed less fat from our cocoa (22-24% fat content), which results in a more intense and immediate chocolate flavor.

This "service pack" of ChefShop cocoa powder is designed for commercial users like baristas, bakers, and gelato makers. It is sealed in a thick zip-lock style bag for production baking with a Plain Jane label.

Price relative to quantity is also a crucial part of the commercial kitchen — quality and consistency relative to cost. The resealable bag keeps the cocoa powder fresh for a good long time.

SHARE THE LOVE Give the Gift of Love Through Food Gift Certificates available for any amount you choose. Get Gift Certificate →