Pomelo fruits are gentle giants of the citrus world
Around this time of year, I'm starting to get tired of the same oranges and grapefruits I have been enjoying for weeks. Then along comes pomelo fruits and suddenly I'm in love with citrus fruits once more.
These giants are literally a handful and unique. Even the name is distinctive. You'll see the spelling of it varied from pomelo to pommelo to pummelo. Other names are shaddock, Chinese grapefruit and Bali lemon. It's like the world can't make up its mind on this fruit.
But I can, because pomelo fruits are such a refreshing change from the citrus norm. To start with, they are humongous and known as the largest of all citrus products. While most are the size of a very large grapefruit, they can get as large as a cantaloupe or even a watermelon. The color ranges from yellow to light greenish brown to pink. It's almost as if it can't decide what it wants to be when it grows up.
The taste is mild and juicy, which is confusing because your eyes see it as grapefruit-like. So your tongue is ready for tart but it's only slightly sweet and not acidic. The skin is coarse and a bit thick. It is perfect for cutting in half and spooning out the delicious pulp.
As with all citrus, you should select fruits that are heavy for their size and free of any soft spots. Outer skin blemishes are caused by wind and don't influence fruit quality. While you may be tempted to leave them out on the counter for the sake of drama, they actually need to be refrigerated. This extends the shelf life considerably.
If you don't want to eat them fresh, use them as a mild alternative in any recipe that calls for grapefruit. You'll love the way it changes the outcome.
Tammy Algood is the author of five cookbooks and can be seen on “Volunteer Gardener” on PBS stations in Tennessee. Follow her at hauteflavor.com