Cocktail Grapefruits that Are Non-Alcoholic

OK, this is some smart marketing. I spotted these grapefruits at the Temescal Farmers Market this past weekend, and the farmer was selling what he labeled “cocktail grapefruits.” I wonder how many you have to eat before you get punch-drunk love?

Of course I knew this is probably not an alcoholic grapefruit. (But wouldn’t that be amazing?) I bought a few anyway because of the other written note on the sign saying it had a passionfruit-like flavor. And being from Hawaii, I love anything that reminds me of the fruits from there.

First off, I have to say I love the color. It has this brilliant yellow that has the same deep color like Meyer lemons (another one of my favorite citrus). When I ate one, the flesh wasn’t sweet or tart, but somewhere in between. And yes, if you close your eyes and think about it, the taste does slightly remind me of passionfruit. Not in an obvious way, but if you really really imagine it.

It’s not as sweet as the ruby grapefruits, but it’s nice. The only thing I didn’t like about them was the seeds. There were a lot of them and I’m from the lazy generation where we’ve had all our food modified so that it’s totally convenient to eat without worrying about pits.

So I’m still not sure why they call it a cocktail grapefruit. Although now that I think about it, maybe it’s because the subtle flavor is sophisticated enough to mix into drinks. Time to bust out my martini shaker because daddy’s going to be making some cocktails tonight!

What to make with grapefruit?
Seared Halibut with Grapefruit Salad Recipe
Avocado Grapefruit Salad Recipe