Have you ever tried to peel a grapefruit the way you would an orange? And eat it piece by piece? This may not sound attractive, because we all know that grapefruits are quite bitter, don’t we? Well, the Melogold grapefruit changes all that. This golden fruit is not only easy to peel, but is the sweetest grapefruit you will find, so it really is easy and pleasant to eat on its own.
Description
The Melogold grapefruit is a very large fruit (6+ inches /15 CMS) in diameter. As you may imagine from the name, the Melogold is golden yellow in color, although the fruits can retain some green color as they ripen from green to bright yellowy gold skin and yellow flesh. On some fruit, the green can be in spots.
The rind of a Melogold grapefruit is thick, in fact much thicker than other grapefruit, and the fruits can weigh around 2 pounds (1 kg) and above. The fruits are not uniformly round.
Relatively sweet and seedless grapefruits are popular with consumers, which makes the Melogold a favorite. It is very juicy, with few, or no, seeds. It has the sweet/tart flavor typical of grapefruits, although the taste is actually quite sweet for a grapefruit.
It’s All In the Name
The name “Melogold” is a marriage between “mellow” (relating to the mild flavor) and “gold” (describing the golden color of the ripe fruit).
The Melogold is a cross between a pomelo (the large ancestor of the grapefruit) and a grapefruit. As such, it is almost like taking a step backward since a grapefruit itself is a cross between a pomelo and a sweet orange.
This fruit was developed at the University of California in 1986 specifically for its low acidity, soft flesh and relatively sweet taste.
Who Could Ask For More?
The MeloGold Grapefruit tree is known to be very productive and excellent crops are harvested throughout winter, because the fruit can also be left to ripen on the trees well into winter. The longer the fruits remain on a grapefruit tree, the sweeter they become. If they are left on too long, however, the crop for the next year may be affected.
Golden Nutrition
Like all grapefruits, the MeloGold variety is an excellent source of vitamin C and A, which help to boost the immune system. They are also quite a good source of potassium, which is important in regulating fluid in the body and for muscles and nerves, and magnesium, which helps to build strong bones and ease muscle cramps.
MeloGold grapefruits contain a lot of fiber and most of us know that this is necessary to control constipation. What we don’t always know is that fiber is also an important factor in controlling weight, or lowering the risk of diseases, such as diabetes and heart diseases – and even some cancers.
Melogold Grapefruit Availability
Grapefruits are essentially winter fruit and the MeloGold can be found through winter until early spring. If you plant one in your garden, you will literally be able to walk into the yard and pick fresh fruit for most of winter.
Food and the Melogold
Because of its taste and juiciness, MeloGold grapefruits are very popular to be eaten fresh. They can also be combined with other ingredients to produce dishes that are worthy of the “gold” in this fruit’s name.
Use some of these recipes to add a little mellowness and gold to your taste buds.
Grapefruit and mint starter
- Cut a MeloGold grapefruit in half perpendicular to the stalk.
- Use a knife or a grapefruit spoon to loosen the segments in the skin.
- Sprinkle a little treacle or Muscovado sugar over each half.
- Chop some fresh mint leaves very finely and spread them over the halves.
- Leave the grapefruits to sit for about 20 minutes.
- Serve as a first course for breakfast, or as a light dessert for an al-fresco lunch.
Candied MeloGold peel
- Cut the grapefruit peels into strips.
- Soak them in water for half an hour, then drain thoroughly.
- Repeat.
- Heat 2 C sugar in 1 C water until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the grapefruit peel to the pot and allow it to simmer, until the syrup thickens.
- Remove the peels from the syrup and dip them in castor sugar.
- Leave the peels to dry out on a wire rack.
- Make sure they are not touching each other when they are drying.
- When the peels are completely dry, store them in an air-tight container.
Mocktail
- 2 tsp of lemon juice
- 1 ½ C fresh Melogold grapefruit juice
- 1 T sugar
- 1 C sparkling water
- Crushed ice
- Place the lemon juice, grapefruit juice and sugar into a cocktail mixer. Shake well.
- Add the crushed ice. Shake again, briefly.
- Add the sparkling water. Mix gently with a cocktail stick.
- Pour and enjoy.
Marmlade
- 1 Melogold grapefruit
- 4 sweet oranges
- 2 lemons
- 1 C (150g) sugar
- ½ C water
- Cut the fruit in half, at 90° to the stalk.
- Scoop the flesh out of the skins.
- (Use a grapefruit spoon, or loosen the segments with a knife and then scoop out the flesh with a teaspoon.)
- Peel the fruit.
- Cut the peels into small slices thin, quite short slices.
- Put the peels, sugar and water into a pot.
- Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat.
- All0ow the mixture to simmer at very low heat until the water has evaporated and the sugar syrup thickens.
- Allow the marmalade to cool somewhat before bottling in heated bottles.
Conclusion
The Melogold Grapefruit tree is the source of the wonderfully golden, sweet, seedless fruit named for its mild taste and rich golden color. The fruit is loved for its juiciness and relatively sweet flavor. It can be used in a variety of ways to enhance both your garden and kitchen.
Plant a Melogold Grapefruit tree in your garden and enjoy the crop after a few years of growth, or use ready-bought fruit as an addition to your range of dishes. The Melogold will definitely add value to your home and diet.
Want to learn more about grapefruits? Next, visit our grapefruit trees page to discover information on planting, growing, caring, cooking, and more!