Let’s Talk Food: Variety of ways to serve grapefruit
In 1805, an article appeared in a botanical journal written by botanist John Lunan. He wrote of a little known fruit that was a cross between a sweet orange and the pommelo. He described the taste as similar to a grape and thus the name grapefruit was bestowed on this newly discovered fruit. It seemed to be an authentic name since the fruit grows in clusters.
Food historians maintain that this crossbreeding of fruit occurred in the 1700s in Barbados. Pommelo seeds were brought to Barbados by Philip Shaddock, an English captain in 1649. The seeds came from Thailand and in Barbados the seeds were propagated and came to be known as “the forbidden fruit.” In time, grapefruit was brought to Florida from the Bahamas by a Frenchman, Count Odette Philippe, who came to the Tampa Bay area in 1823. However, it was not until 1885 that grapefruit was available to the public. By 1900, grapefruit were part of the foods regularly consumed by Americans and their cultivation became an important part of the citrus industry.
Floridians first began using grapefruit as a refreshing tonic, believing it contained healing ingredients for such illnesses as influenza.
Early growers began marketing the fruit as a curative during the winter months in the North, resulting in grapefruit becoming commercially lucrative.
Florida has a unique growing environment that produces superior citrus fruit. Grapefruit trees thrive in our subtropical climate and sandy soil. The clear air, sunny days and temperate nights produce sweet fruit bursting with flavor and juice.
Our state produces about 50 percent of all grapefruit grown in the world and about 80 percent of grapefruit in the United States, making it the largest grapefruit producer. Florida is the world’s leading exporter of grapefruit. In 2014, 32 million cartons of grapefruit were shipped overseas. The largest importer is Japan, followed by France.
Not only is grapefruit delicious, but it has the added bonus of being healthy: It provides potassium, vitamin C, soluble fiber and pectin, which has been helpful in lowering cholesterol. As a final bonus, grapefruit is low in calories, free of fat and combines well with other fruit.
It has been several years since I dined at Chalet Suzanne in Lake Wales. I have never forgotten one of its most popular, signature dishes, broiled grapefruit with sautéed chicken livers. It was over 80 years ago that Bertha Hinshaw, a single mother, started the Chalet. She had invited a group of journalists to the inn and had prepared broiled grapefruit as a first course. When they were delayed and this appetizer was growing cold, she sautéed some chicken livers and added them to the fruit. Over the years, I have come up with my own recipe and only occasionally add the chicken livers.
DORIS’ BROILED GRAPEFUIT
3 large, heavy grapefruit, cut in half and sectioned
6 tablespoons dark rum
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
12 tablespoons maple syrup
Garnish: chicken livers, grated coconut, mango slices, mango chutney, dried dates or figs (choose one)
Place halved grapefruit on baking sheet. In order to place them upright, cut a small slice at the bottom of the fruit. Into each sectioned grapefruit half place 2 tablespoons of the rum, brown sugar, melted butter and 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup. Place in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for about fifteen minutes and then place under the broiler until the grapefruit is caramelized and brown. Serves 6.
ASK DORIS
Q: We spent the holidays in Kentucky with my husband’s family. We had dinner with his elderly aunt and she prepared the most wonderful corn muffins made with sour cream. Since she did not have a written recipe, I wonder if you have one.
— Melanie Sullivan, Fort Myers Beach
A: This is the best recipe for corn muffins I have in my files. I do not use yellow corn meal; instead I get organic, water-ground white corn meal. Also, I do not use any sugar.
SOUR CREAM CORN MUFFINS
1 cup yellow or white corn meal
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons melted bacon fat
¾ cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream
Additional cornmeal for the muffin tins.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place a heavy 12-cup muffin tin in the oven. In a large mixer bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add egg, ¼ cup of the bacon fat, buttermilk and sour cream. Beat until smooth. Remove the muffin tin from oven and spray the sides and bottom with vegetable spray and add ½ teaspoon of bacon fat to each mold.
Spoon ¼ cup of batter into each mold and bake for 15 minutes (see below) or until golden brown and muffins are shrinking away from the sides of the molds. Note: If using a heavy cast-iron skillet, bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Doris Reynolds is the author of “When Peacocks Were Roasted and Mullet was Fried” and a four-part DVD, “A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds.” They are for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. All proceeds of these sales go to the Doris Reynolds-Naples Daily News Scholarship Fund. Contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com
10 WAYS TO SERVE GRAPEFRUIT
► Peppermint patties: Drizzle 1 tablespoon peppermint extract over the top of grapefruit halves. Serve chilled or broil or 3 minutes before serving.
► Grapefruit and cream: Top grapefruit chunks with low-fat yogurt and sprinkle with brown sugar.
► Breakfast nog: Blend 1 cup grapefruit juice and 1 cup strawberry yogurt in blender until smooth. Serves 2.
► Rise and shine: Fill a grapefruit half with a sliced banana, ½ cup raisin bran and top with plain low-fat yogurt.
► Grapefruit medley: Spoon 1 tablespoon any flavor jam or jelly over sectioned grapefruit half, broil for 3 minutes. Garnish with lemon rind.
► Grapefruit split: Layer parfait glass with 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese, grapefruit sections and bananas. Top with fresh strawberries.
► Tropical salad: Combine diced avocados with grapefruit sections, sliced red onions, Bibb lettuce and honey dressing.
► Melon fan: Slice red or pink grapefruit into wheels and top with sliced melon. Garnish with mint and fresh strawberries.
► Shrimp devine: Combine cooked, cleaned shrimp with grapefruit sections, kiwi fruit, diced celery and low-fat mayonnaise.
► Fruit soup: Combine grapefruit juice, orange juice, buttermilk, rip banana and strawberries with 2 teaspoons sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom and blend until smooth.