Queen of lemon herbs makes grand entrance at SIRHA Lyon
THE CHANNON, Australia Jan 26, 2023
Australia’s own ‘Queen of lemon herbs – lemon myrtle – made a bold debut at Europe’s largest hospitality trade expo SIRHA, held over the past five days in Lyon, France.
Visitors to the show were able to sample the incredible flavour intensity of lemon myrtle leaf at the Sens Gourmet stand, with Australian Native Products now part of this cutting-edge distributor’s family of innovative ingredients.
In addition, lemon myrtle was on the menu at the world-renowned Bocuse d’Or culinary contest, with Australia’s contender Alex McIntosh including it in his dishes to wow the judges.
Lemon myrtle is often described as ‘more lemony than lemon’, due to its high concentration of citral, which gives an intense citrus hit coupled with sweetness and cooling on the palate.
Chefs and food manufacturers all over the world are discovering that this distinctive citrus flavour is ideal to enhance both sweet and savoury dishes, as well as hot and cold beverages.
“We are thrilled with the reception our lemon myrtle has received at SIRHA Lyon,” says Ross Norris, General Manager of Australian Native Products.
“Although lemon myrtle is already well known for antibacterial and antifungal properties in cleaning and wellness products, and it is highly sought-after in teas, we are still exploring its vast potential as a culinary ingredient.
Sens Gourmet’s founder and owner Jean-Michel Thirion agrees. “I first discovered lemon myrtle 25 years ago, but had difficulty sourcing it. Now it is great to partner with Australian Native Products to give chefs in Europe access to this incredible ingredient.
“My company prides itself on providing unique flavours to chefs who are at the forefront of innovation, so I was very pleased to be able to show them lemon myrtle at SIRHA Lyon.”
As the world’s most prestigious competition for chefs, Bocuse d’Or is known as an incubator of culinary ideas and the perfect platform to showcase the versatility of lemon myrtle.
Australian Native Products is a proud sponsor of the Australian Bocuse d’Or team, and competitor Alex McIntosh said lemon myrtle was an integral component of his dishes.
“In the first part of the challenge I included lemon myrtle in a mousse as part of the dessert, and it was perfect in the sauce that accompanied the main course,” he says.
“Lemon myrtle gives a real lemony kick, and I love the cooling finish on the palate.”
Ross Norris says he is blown away by response he has had from the many chefs and visitors to SIRHA who tried lemon myrtle.
“It’s clear that chefs looking for a creative edge are very excited by this Australian lemon herb. We believe it will soon be appearing on menus at premium restaurants around the world and we are thrilled to be able to meet demand for this unique and exciting ingredient.
“With organic and conventional farms in Queensland and New South Wales, we strive to live true to our purpose of helping people improve their wellbeing by nourishing through nature,” he adds.
“And by bringing products to market that utilise the functional benefits of lemon myrtle, we will share this amazing plant with the world."
Australian Native Products is the world's largest grower, processor and marketer of both organic and conventional lemon myrtle, providing a complete supply chain from farm to table. With a vision “to unlock the hidden benefits of native Australian botanicals", this dynamic company has been making consistent investments in sustainable farming, manufacturing innovation, product development and market access, all while raising awareness and making stock available to customers globally.
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