Citrus fruit

Want to venture beyond the oranges and lemons on the fruit stall? Let our pithy guide persuade you to try something new, with the juice on some key (lime) varieties

Lemon

When life gives you one of the world’s many varieties, know that it’s a great source of vitamin C, staving off scurvy since the 18th century.

Grapefruit

What happened when an orange met a pomelo in Barbados? Wonder no more: this is the bitter fruit of that union

Lime

Green and round. We’ve certainly felt green after a round too many of lime-enhanced cocktails, its acidity livening up daiquiri, gimlets and more.

Mandarin

Also clementines, satsumas and tangerines. Their peelability is particularly appealing for Christmas stockings and Chinese New Year.

Pomelo

Directly related to the grapefruit, this SouthEast Asian citrus is a lot po-mellower than its descendant, with a sweeter taste.

Citron

One of the citrus originals. This comparatively big boy has a sweet side: its chunky white rind is used for sweets in Greece and jam in Iran.

Bergamot

If you don’t recognise this Italian import from its looks, you’ll probably guess it from its smell, found in everything from Earl Grey tea to your perfume.

Yuzu

Looks a bit like a grapefruit, but with puckered skin. This East Asian favourite will pucker your lips, too: you’d be best sampling its juice or zest.

Orange

Orange you glad to know this is the most widely grown citrus? Thought to originate in China or India, both still big producers, but topped by Brazil.

These illustrations are by Zoe Barker, and are taken from Feast Your Eyes on Food: A Food Encyclopedia of More than 1,000 Delicious Things to Eat by Laura Gladwin (Magic Cat Publishing) magiccatpublishing.co.uk