Gaga for grapefruit
Hey, gorgeous. Photo by Lindsey Nair l The Roanoke Times.
Do you ever get on a kick for a particular kind of food, and you’re not sure why? Like, you suddenly crave roasted Brussels sprouts or onion rings or can’t get enough BLT sandwiches?
That’s where I am with grapefruit these days. I’ve always liked grapefruit, but I sure have been in love with it lately. It started when I was getting over the flu, so maybe it’s because I was dehydrated and looking for something cool and juicy, or maybe my body needed vitamin C.
It could also have something to do with the time of year. Although grapefruit is in season somewhere in the country pretty much all year round, I often associate it with Christmas. When my sister and I still lived at home, my grandmother sometimes sent our family a case of Florida grapefruit. I can still picture those beauties nestled in layers of brown egg-crate packing. Now, we always have grapefruit for breakfast on Christmas morning with my in-laws.
The grapefruit we see in the store was likely grown in Arizona, California, Texas or Florida. The ones I’ve been gobbling up lately are called Texas Rio Star, and they’re as pink as a jewel with fat, juicy, glistening flesh. Anybody who has tasted grapefruit or grapefruit juice knows the fruit is both sweet and bitter. I unapologetically put real sugar on my grapefruit before I eat it –but just a light sprinkling.
If you are not taking any drugs that interact with grapefruit (and it’s important that you know whether you do, so ask your pharmacist or doctor if you aren’t sure), then maybe you’re going to want to have some grapefruit this weekend now after listening to be blather on about it. You won’t be disappointed if you do.
Do you like grapefruit? Have you been on any food kicks lately?
January 11, 2013 - 10:14 AM
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I like grapefruit and cannot eat it or drink the juice because it interferes with my medication!
Aww, that stinks, Alda. I’ll eat more for you
Love, love grapefruit, but think I am may be alone in that I put salt on it instead of some sort of sweetener!
Love grapefruit. But I also had to give it up for medication.
I love the Ruby Red grapefruits. I can’t eat it too many days in a row though, the acidity does a number on my tongue.
I love the deep red grapefruits and I sprinkle with a little salt and Splenda. Can’t eat them frequently because they give me a severe tummy ache.
I had a nice pink grapefruit this morning for breakfast with a tiny bit of Splenda sprinkled on top…yummy! Unfortunately, they don’t go very far where hunger is concerned, so I was pretty much starved by the time lunch time rolled around!
When I could eat grapefruit (can’t now b/c of my meds) I liked to sprinkle with sugar then stick under the broiler for a few minutes to carmelize the sugar! Loved it!
Grapefruit is good, but certainly an acquired taste. The mere fact you mentioned a BLT sandwich makes me crave one, though. Then by extension, I got misty thinking about the next time I get to savor a tomato sandwich. Or three.
I think the exclusivity of certain foods is part of the appeal. Although I really would give up far more than is plausible to have a (homegrown) tomato sandwich right now.
Those Texas Rios are delicious! Funny but when we were in Texas 3 yrs ago we couldn’t find them anywhere!
I do like grapefruit but almost never eat it. I think that sometimes when you start craving certain types of food it’s your body telling you that it needs the nutrition from that type food. As for the second part of your question, have I had any cravings lately? Avocados and guacamole!!! For a year or so now, I can’t get enough of them. My other craving is for Asian food, specifically Vietnamese! I’m talking 2-3 times a week here!
I have the same problem as Alda, I can not have grapefruit or the juice so Lindsey eat a double portion for us. I even had to stop eating oranges and drinking orange juice due to acid. One good thing, I am drinking plenty of water.
I’m heading to the store today, so I’ll be sure to pick up a few extra grapefruit to eat for you, too, Don. Haha.
Guacamole is a very understandable craving, Dennis! Yum!
CR, have you ever looked into hydroponic local tomatoes in the winter? I think there is a place around here – I could check. Although I kind of like having to wait for them; as you say, the limited availability makes you appreciate them even more when you can have them.
Just reading this blog makes me want some grapefruit and/or grapefruit juice….yum !!!
Throw in a few more for me, Lindsey! I used to love them with a bit of sugar, but now am in the “can’t eat ‘em because of the meds” bunch. It really stinks. And my grandma used to send a big box of citrus (grapefruit included) for Christmas when I was a kid, too
.
Without home grown tomatoes in the winter, we use grapefruit segments in ouur salad (just a taste for those with medication conflicts). But the best traditional use for grapefruit is to make my mother’s wonderful grapefruit peel candy. Her recipe cooks all the sugar into the peel rather than wssting a lot of sugar syrup as some recipes do.
This reminds me of a dear friend who had a reputation at her workplace for pinching pennies on food. One day she brought her co-workers grapefruit candy and they laughed that she even cooked the garbage.
MarthaLegg, years and years ago I decided to make candied citrus peel as gifts for my sons’ teachers, using orange, grapefruit, and lemon. There’s a reason candied citrus peel costs $20/lb. It’s a major project, and far from garbage.