To the many cocktail aficionados reading this, the humble grapefruit might seem like a rudimentary, even boring, piece of fruit. Drinks that tend to garner attention these days contain all kinds of exciting ingredients, like jackfruit, dragonfruit, passion fruit, or my all-time favorite, Ugli fruit. But while the terms “unusual” and “esoteric” have become part of cocktail vernacular, there’s no shame in keeping things simple. Enter the grapefruit.
Known technically as Citrus x paradisi, grapefruit is most likely a cross between the Southeast Asian pummelo and the standard sweet orange. It’s one of the newer fruits on Earth, having been first discovered on the island of Barbados in the mid-18th century. The name comes from the fact that fruit clusters on the tree look somewhat similar to a bunch of grapes. While lemon and lime are our preferred bartending citrus, the grapefruit has lent its own unique charms to a wide variety of wonderful and timeless drinks.
One only has to turn to the Hemingway Daiquiri—an august libation, to be sure—to see what a delightful ingredient grapefruit juice can be. While the history of this recipe is far from certain, it’s about as cooling as drinks come and perfect for parties.
Right now, grapefruits are in season, and their color, especially in the highly coveted Ruby Red type, is deep and inviting. While the ruby is a little sweeter and a favorite of bartenders, the yellow variety (also known as white grapefruit) has more acid and can actually work better in balancing out sugary components.
A case in point is the Brown Derby, which was perhaps created at the famous hat-shaped Los Angeles restaurant of the same name. I’m a big fan of the simplicity of this drink, but it can err on the sweet side if made with pink grapefruit juice.
That also goes for a rather unknown but delicious cocktail called the Blinker. The drink was first mentioned in Patrick Gavin Duffy’s 1934 The Official Mixer’s Manual and was resurrected in Ted Haigh’s wonderful Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails. It is another simple and elegant concoction, calling for rye whiskey, grapefruit ,and either grenadine or, even better, fresh raspberry syrup. Again, use a yellow variety here for balance.
And speaking of easy, a great drink to bust out at a gathering for a lot of people is the Paloma, pretty much the only “cocktail” you’ll find in Mexico. (No, the locals do not drink Margaritas.) In its homeland, this ubiquitous highball is made with a sickeningly sweet grapefruit soda called Squirt. But when made with fresh grapefruit juice and topped with sparkling water, the result is one of the most refreshing drinks you’ll ever try.
Grapefruit also matches beautifully with Aperol, Campari, and some bitter Italian amari, as well as almost all spirits, proving that it might actually be the most versatile citrus fruit out there. These dozen drinks will prove it.
One only has to turn to the Hemingway Daiquiri—an august libation, to be sure—to see what a delightful ingredient grapefruit juice can be. While the history of this recipe is far from certain, it’s about as cooling as drinks come and perfect for parties.
Grapefruit also matches beautifully with Aperol, Campari, and some bitter Italian amari, as well as almost all spirits, proving that it might actually be the most versatile citrus fruit out there. These dozen drinks will prove it.
And speaking of easy, a great drink to bust out at a gathering for a lot of people is the Paloma, pretty much the only “cocktail” you’ll find in Mexico. (No, the locals do not drink Margaritas.) In its homeland, this ubiquitous highball is made with a sickeningly sweet grapefruit soda called Squirt. But when made with fresh grapefruit juice and topped with sparkling water, the result is one of the most refreshing drinks you’ll ever try.
That also goes for a rather unknown but delicious cocktail called the Blinker. The drink was first mentioned in Patrick Gavin Duffy’s 1934 The Official Mixer’s Manual and was resurrected in Ted Haigh’s wonderful Vintage Spirits & Forgotten Cocktails. It is another simple and elegant concoction, calling for rye whiskey, grapefruit ,and either grenadine or, even better, fresh raspberry syrup. Again, use a yellow variety here for balance.
A case in point is the Brown Derby, which was perhaps created at the famous hat-shaped Los Angeles restaurant of the same name. I’m a big fan of the simplicity of this drink, but it can err on the sweet side if made with pink grapefruit juice.
Rub the rim of a highball glass or margarita glass with a grapefruit wedge, and dip it in a small plate of salt. Add the tequila, grapefruit juice, sparkling water, lime juice, and sweetener to the glass, stir to combine, and add ice to fill the glass. Sweeten to taste, and garnish with a grapefruit or lime wedge. Enjoy!
Last weekend, the spring sun inspired us to make this paloma recipe at home. With just the two of us, our “scene” looked a bit different than our Hula Hut days, but we still had fun mixing up our drinks together. In fact, we’re already looking forward to making this paloma recipe again tomorrow. It’s really simple, and it’s a fresh alternative to other tequila drinks (looking at you, margarita). If you’re looking for a fun way to kick off the weekend, I hope you give it a try!
A traditional paloma cocktail consists of tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda. My recipe is a fresher version of this classic combination. Here’s what’s in it:
When Jack and I lived in Austin, we’d always order paloma cocktails on summer afternoons at Hula Hut. It had a big deck right on Lake Austin, and it was filled with people all summer long. We loved to sit there in the hot sun, sipping our cocktails and sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with friends.
Grapefruit Juice and Some Drugs Don’t Mix
FAQ
What pairs good with grapefruit?
What does grapefruit juice mix well with?
What’s the best thing to put on grapefruit?
What flavors pair well with pink grapefruit?
What goes well with grapefruit juice & vodka?
“You’ll grill the grapefruit and lime to caramelize the fruit and give the juice a subtle smoky edge.” This easy-to-make cocktail is a classic for a reason: Grapefruit juice and vodka are pretty much the perfect pair. Don’t forget to rim the glass with salt and garnish with a grapefruit wedge! Photo by Allrecipes Magazine.
Are grapefruits good to eat?
Grapefruit was first introduced as a weight loss food as part of the Hollywood Diet. It is now known that grapefruit has no thermogenic properties and that any weight loss observed in earlier studies was likely attributable to the hypocaloric diet. Nevertheless, grapefruits have bioactive compounds and phytochemical contents such as minerals, vitamins, flavonoids and carotenoids. These phytochemicals may act as antioxidants, boosting the action of protective enzymes in the liver, reverse lipid for oxidation of genetic material and improve immune system.
Can you mix grapefruit with marmalade?
Yes. Grapefruit can get in the way of several kinds of prescription medicines. So can other citrus fruits, such as pomelos, tangelos and Seville oranges, which often are used in marmalade. Mixing grapefruit with some medicines can cause serious health problems.
Can you take antidepressants with grapefruit?
Most antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs are safe to use with grapefruit. However, several mood medications do interact with it, including: Drugs like quetiapine and lurasidone are used to treat mood and behavioral disorders.