Lemon is a citrus fruit frequently used in cooking. Whether it is added as a zest to fish, fromage blanc or spread as an aperitif, thanks to the acidity of its juice, lemon enhances both sweet and savory dishes. We even prepare lemon tarts and cakes for dessert, a solution to pimp the sweetness of sweet pleasures with acidity! However, on the market stalls, two lemons are presented to us: yellow and green. If one is less acidic than the other, which lemon should we choose once in the kitchen? Yoni Cohen, greengrocer at Maison Emali answers.
Yellow lemon and green lime: two distinct profiles
“The yellow lemon is the one we use the most. However, it “twists” much less than the green lime”
Beyond the color, what distinguishes a yellow lemon from a lime is the acidity. A small detail with big changes, since “the lime being less sweet than the yellow lemon, and therefore slightly more acidic, brings an exotic flavor that is not found in the yellow lemon”. Using the lime in cooking therefore has a great taste interest. To bring an exotic side to a lemon tart for example, (prepared with yellow lemon), add a zest of lime. This will vary the acidic notes and change from the classic lemon tart. Also, “lime juice is ideal to pour on an avocado (and change from olive oil), as a zest on pies, and, to change from yellow lemon on fish”.
Lime is not used for cooking.
Yellow lemon is the one that is used “in all sauces”, and especially in baking. If we use yellow lemon for this purpose rather than lime, it is because “lime loses its taste interest when cooked”. It is therefore better to use it as zest on ready meals, in cocktails like mojito or as seasoning.
