Grapefruit

 

(PCS = 8)

I must be in some sort of culinary state because I have been especially thinking of an array of different foods I would like to try to make during the last few weeks.  One of the flavors that I am especially fond of is grapefruit.  Fortunately, as I do not yet have any sort of chronic prescription medication I take.... I am free to indulge in grapefruit whenever and wherever I find it... or at least when my wife buys it for me. :)  I feel sad for people who do take medicine where grapefruit is contraindicated.

I have noticed a strange thing (perhaps only an issue in my area of the Northern US) however.  Over the last several years, the prevalence of the types of grapefruit has shifted considerably and (for me) a bit sadly.  From my perspective there are two basic forms of grapefruit..... yellow (traditional) grapefruit and the more recent "ruby-red" grapefruit.  They are both good... but, the traditional, yellow grapefruit (to me) has a more robust flavor.  But, over the last dozen years there has a been a transition to where once the yellow grapefruit was far, far more common than the "ruby-red" variety.... now the "ruby-red" predominates.  And, in the last seven years or so, it seems like I would be lucky to get one or perhaps two offerings of yellow grapefruit during an entire season.  The last three years, in fact, I have not seen a single yellow grapefruit at any of the grocery stores I have access to!  I miss the yellow grapefruit.  

But in more "culinary" terms, I have had percolating in my mind, the idea that I would like to make a grapefruit cake and also would like to make a grapefruit meringue pie.  Everyone makes lemon cakes and lemon meringue pies, so those seem not particularly exciting for me (and I have made them previously, so no real quest or drive in me to accomplish that).  But, I think it would be wonderful to make a grapefruit cake and use grapefruit zest in the cake and in the frosting!  And, in a similar vein, I would think a grapefruit meringue pie would be awfully damn good too!  

The one challenge, though, is that my wife abhors grapefruit.  She finds it "bitter and repulsive" (her blasphemous words, not mine).  And, unfortunately, it seems most of my kids also have inherited that same sad gene, as only ONE of my kids "kind of" likes grapefruit and the others are of similar vehemence as my wife, so it would not be easy to pawn off on any of them even if they happen to be nearby.  

I have thought of trying to make these two different grapefruit deserts on previous occasions, but have refrained primarily BECAUSE there really wouldn't be anyone for me to share them with.... and no one to share the JOY of that delightful flavor.  But, the itch to create them is pretty strong currently.  I am not sure... but I might feel a strong enough creative urge to try to make one of them this weekend.  

PipeTobacco