Pummelo pummelo pummelo pummelo

[eredien]

It's pummelo season!

I was at the grocery store two days ago. Mostly, I picked up boring things, so the grocery-bagging girl wasn't tremendously talkative as she looked at the items coming down the belt:
cereal.
lemons.
apple cider.
cream cheese.
... a citrus fruit as big as my face.

She turned voluble quite quickly.

"Wow, talk about your GMOs. Is that a grapefruit?"

"Actually, it's a pummelo."

"Hm." She hefted it, as if thinking about breaking a window. "Do you think you can fit it in your bag?"

"Maybe." I eyed my bulging sack, and hoped the zipper wouldn't break again, then shoved it in. "Yup!"

"It's really squishy."

"The rind is about an inch thick, the inside is about as big as a small grapefruit."

"What's it taste like?"

"Citrus..." here I found myself at a loss for words. They're more like grapefruit than anything else, but there's also a hint of sweetness reminiscent of lemon and an indefinable mild bitter something.

I suggested she try one. I suggest you do, too. They're fun!

What to do with all that peel: candy it.

Comments

[copperwolf.livejournal.com]

Looks like the quote marks on your links may be messed up.

I guess I assumed summer was the season for pumelos, like most citrus fruit.

Have you tried candying the peel?

[eredien]

Oops, thanks. I'll fix the links.

Peel is being candied even as I speak.

[ebony14.livejournal.com]

I honestly wish I could try pummelo; they sound really interesting. Sadly, I'm allergic to citrus oil and/or citric acid, and I don't relish peeling one and spending the next two to three weeks with blisters on my hands.

[eredien]

Oh, dear. Well, you are exempted. :)