The largest of the citrus family was so named because its fruits are borne in clusters, somewhat like grapes.
Health Benefits: Its most abundant nutritive property is vitamin C.
Buying: Select a heavy grapefruit with a thin-rather than puffy and thick-peel, which means there is more edible fruit. The skin should be firm and smooth to the touch. Surface marks do not affect the fruit’s flavor; avoid bruising fruit, however
 Most white grapefruit will have a rich to pale yellow coloring. Some varieties will "re-green" if they remain on the tree long enough. This does not affect the flavor or quality of the fruit.
 The pulp colour ranges between clear pale yellow to pink to red, and tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit - it has very little or none of the common grapefruit's bitterness, but the membranes of the segments are bitter and should be discarded. It is the largest citrus fruit, growing as large as 30 cm in diameter and weighing as much as 10 kg; the peel is thick, and is sometimes used to make marmalade. One way to eat the pomelo is to remove the rind, then peel the segments themselves to obtain the juice vesicles or 'flesh'. Candied then dipped in chocolate, the rind makes a magnificent grapefruity confection. The finest variety (at least per California citrusmen) is considered to be the Chandler, which has a smoother skin than many other varieties.
from Rebecca Wood's The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia |
