Thursday, February 26, 2009

My Retro Breakfast: Sugared Pink Grapefruit



When my brother and I were very little, our mother would sometimes feed us sugared grapefruit halves for breakfast. She'd have to sugar them quite a bit for us to eat it, too. I was rather ambivalent about grapefruit back then.

It's one of those foods that I forget about--until about this time of year, that is, when citrus fruits pour into the supermarkets, shipped from Florida and California. And that's when I buy a few grapefruit--pink ones if I can get them.

Grapefruit is quite nutritious, chock full of vitamin C, folate and lycopene; it's also known to lower cholesterol and provide a good dose of antioxidants. What's not to love?

And this particular fruit is becoming quite trendy these days. I bought this one to try in a savory meal--only it called to me this morning and I gave into those memories from childhood. No quick broil for me, either. Just cut in half, and sprinkled liberally with sugar substitute.

There's just something so satisfying about it.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Truly, just looking at that picture makes me want to try one. But it also makes me pucker up. Maybe adding a little, or a cup, of Splenda would help.

When I was down at my mom's in Tampa in January, her orange tree was full of oranges. They were so juicy and delicious! There's nothing like picking fresh fruit from a tree and eating it on the spot.

Amanda said...

Honestly, Lulu, I didn't pucker at all. The sugar (or in my case, sub) really helps it, but the pink grapefruit are naturally sweeter than the yellow varieties. I use about 1 tablespoon per grapefruit half.

All the time I lived in the South I never ate citrus off the tree. It sounds fabulous--I can imagine it being all sunny and warm, the juice running down face and arms. Mmm, that's a really nice thought as I sit here in my long-johns with snowbanks outside up to my head!

Sara said...

I used to hate grapefruit when I was younger. I tried it again a few years ago, and started eating it with a sprinkle of vanilla sugar. Now I eat them plain, and love em :)

Anonymous said...

Definitely, fruit fresh from a tree is awesome. I'll have to remember to look for pink grapefruits at the grocery this weekend.

Amanda said...

@Sara--I think that's true for just about everyone. As kids there are a lot of foods that taste too strong or too bitter, but as we age things change and suddenly those onions don't taste so bad at all, and that grapefruit is downright yummy!

I, too, enjoy a peeled grapefruit from time to time, eaten just like an orange. Yum!

Mary said...

My mom and grandma both used to serve us kids grapefruit like that! I haven't had one in years though.... I'll have to look at the grocery store!

Sam said...

I used to eat sugared grapefruit for breakfast when I was younger, I think I probably ate more sugar than grapefruit though!

Amanda said...

Mary - Oh, I hope you will give this another try, and that you enjoy this again as much as I do.

Sam - Aah, boys and their sugar! ;) I was probably the same--more sugar than grapefruit, especially eating those white ones! I remember grapefruit being so very bitter that it took several applications of sugar to make it palatable.

I'm so pleased that so many people had this as kids (as we did). This must have been quite a popular breakfast back in the day!

Vanessa Cole said...

I LOVE(!!!) pink grapefruit! And I eat it it with NO sugar! My kids, however, do use sugar. :-)

Amanda said...

Hi, Vanessa! Thanks for commenting. Sometimes I'll eat grapefruit plain, peeled like an orange. It's so yummy!

Joy @ Joy Of Desserts said...

Each Christmas my mother-in-law would give us special pink grapefruits from Texas. They were naturally very sweet, and delicious.

Amanda said...

I was reading about those red Texas grapefruit--they sound really yummy, Joy!

Anonymous said...

Dang it, I've got to remember to buy pink grapefruit!

Amanda said...

You do! Put a sticky-note on your rear-view mirror! :)

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