When life gives you an (Italian) lemon

The other day, over some spaghetti aglio olio brightened with lemon zest and a light-as-air lemon cake baked by a friend, we got talking about the one ingredient that has transformed his kitchen: GI-tagged Italian lemons.

Evidently, they have become something of a culinary flex for adventurous home chefs, restaurateurs, bakers and mixologists serving spritzy Limoncello and aperitivos made for Indian summers.As someone in our group pointed out, the longish, juicy Amalfi lemon and the rounder Sorrento, prized for its oil-rich peel, taste and smell like a holiday.

One you’ve just returned from, or can’t wait to take.

Then there is the formidable Japanese Yuzu, whose intensely fragrant citrus notes have found their way into everything from cocktails and coffee to cheesecakes, chocolates and perfumes.According to market data, India is not only finding alternative import routes after the disruption of traditional ones, but also importing increasing quantities of citrus purees, juices and concentrates that offer longer shelf life and greater versatility.

Which begs the question: if we are the world’s largest producer of lemons and limes, why are we still so fixated on exotic imports?This is especially puzzling when we have our own Gondhoraj lime, which does a remarkable job of lending its intensely citrusy, woody aroma to everything it touches.

Or the Assamese Kagzi, the Himalayan Galgal, and a host of regional citrus varieties.But our desi citrus seldom features in gourmet catalogues or as conversation starters at dinner tables.

The Amalfi, however, arrives with postcard-perfect cliffs, colourful villages and artisanal lore with every rind.

Unsurprisingly, a Gondhoraj lime costs around `15, an Italian lemon can easily fetch `100 or more.Thankfully, a growing number of chefs and mixologists are intentionally putting the spotlight back on indigenous citrus.

But until the Kagzi or the Gondhoraj acquire the same mythology as the Amalfi, complete with elegant packaging, tasting notes and perhaps even a QR code tracing their journey from orchard to plate, they may continue to lose the perception game.

The desi nimbu does not need better flavour.

But it certainly needs better PR.Read the latest Entertainment News and Celebrity updates.

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