We are in the middle of the citrus season, with the end of the clementine, the beginning of the pomelo, or the perfect moment for the Menton lemon, currently celebrated on the Côte d’Azur.
Until next week, the Lemon Festival takes place in Menton. 200,000 people expected in 15 days. The opportunity to talk ‘citrus fruits’ with the two-star chef, Thierry Marx. Citrus fruits are the most consumed fruits in the world. They are in full season in winter, especially the Corsican clementine from November to March, the pomelo from April, the kumquat throughout the cold months.
“Citrus, everyone likes itobserves Thierry Marx. Whether to be enjoyed fresh, used in baking, consumed in juice, or slipped into sweet and savory dishes in the kitchen. It’s a note of sunshine and a note of vitamins during the winter.”
Citrus brings balance in the kitchen
What do citrus fruits bring to the kitchen? Especially balances between sweet, acid, bitter, and even salty. For example, in duck à l’orange (prefer a bigarade bitter orange), the fruit brings a slightly tart side. Fish love the citrus-based marinade, not to mention a twist of lemon, which goes well on an oyster.
“We can also use citrus as the main ingredientcomments Thierry Marx. Imagine a lemon soufflé, with a soufflé device that has been deposited in the shell of the fruit. Roasted lemon is also delicious with reduced duck jus.”
In Menton, the lemon festival was born in 1934, every Sunday, currently, citrus floats parade through the streets of the city for a joyful and colorful corso.
The Menton lemon owes its reputation to its intrinsic qualities: it is beautiful, it is good, it is soft to bite into without aggressive acidity. “You can taste it without adding sugar, it’s really its particularity”, adds Thierry. The terroir also explains this exceptional fruit: maximum sunshine facing the sea, and a microclimate due to the protection of the foothills of the Alps.