Tuesday, May 3, 2011

How to Properly Enjoy a Grapefruit!

It occurred to me a while back that not everybody know how to eat a grapefruit.  Okay, this is not really design related or motherhood related but I think everyone should know how to eat a grapefruit, so I thought I'd share.  ;-) Grapefruit is a wonderful fruit to enjoy in the winter, because they are in season (in Florida) between October and June...a time when we Minnesotans are happy to enjoy something sweet, juicy, and tropical!  It contains a lot of great stuff like vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber.

I'm sure there are plenty of ways to eat a grapefruit, but if you've never had one, try this method.  This is how I've enjoyed them my whole life.

 1) Cut it in half, perpendicular to the core, so it looks like this. (I often split one with my hubby with our dinner, so I'll put each half in a bowl)

 2) Use a small knife to cut around each triangular section, getting as close to the "ribs" as possible.  Work your way around until all of the pieces are cut loose from the rind and the skin. You may come across a few large seeds as you go...just scoop those out and toss them.

 3) Sprinkle it with sugar!  It makes it sooo good and counteracts the bitterness that grapefruit can have.
 (mmm...ready to eat!)

4) Serve the half in a bowl and scoop each section out with a spoon!  YUM!  Don't toss out all that good juice when you're done either.  My mom always would squeeze a little on her spoon, sip it, squeeze a little, sip it, about a million times over until it was gone.  I always wondered why she didn't  just squeeze it all into a cup or the bowl and just drink it...yet I find myself doing it the same way now!  ;-)

One other thing worth noting...If you are taking drugs you're unsure of, like beta blockers for one, check with your doctor to make sure it's okay to enjoy grapefruit, as it can increase the potency of some drugs and cause other interactions.

Now try it out and let me know what you think!!  (Or share your own methods of enjoying grapefruit for all of us to try!)

3 comments:

  1. AWE.... what a SWEET story. I LOVE those bright pink ones! And it's so adorable you'd share what I taught you and you DO what I taught you. Now I will give credit to who taught ME!... It was your Dad. I feel like it was yesterday back in 1975. Dad and I went to Florida and we got some Florida Grapefruit. We were sitting on a picnic table under a fruit tree and he taught me how to eat a grapefruit. I can't recall if we had sugar.. I think so. I ALWAYS use sugar otherwise I wouldn't like Grapefruit in fact. Dad had a grapefruit knife that was serrated and he carefully cut each section just like you do now! It's just a very vivid memory I have of learning that from him. I also remember watching my mom eat it every day and I think she used that method too. I'm glad you enjoy this wonderful fruit. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. Hi Gretch,

    You did not pay really good attention. I got Mom grapefruit knives for sectioning her grapefruit. They have a small curve on the flat side and are serrated. They work better than a paring knife.

    Love ya,
    Dad

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  3. Well, I did actually pay attention...I know about the special serrated knife...I just don't have one! I still feel weird using a regular knife. But, I figure, people who don't know how to eat a grapefruit probably don't have a grapefruit knife either...unlike fancy, shmancy grapefruit connoisseurs like yourselves. ;-) I guess I could have added that for a little "product design" connection!! Check this out...an entire grapefruit cutting and eating SET, complete with serrated-edged spoons!! (watch your tongue!) http://www.amazon.com/Trudeau-Stainless-Grapefruit-5-Piece-Yellow/dp/B0026RH6QQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1304475878&sr=8-4

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