*This post is sponsored by Finish
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But what happens when life gives you grapefruit, in abundance? Well, these days, you resort to social media for inspiration! My lovely readers suggested biscuits, marmalade, salads, grapefruit and gin cocktails, grapefruit yoghurt cake and grapefruit sorbet. Now grapefruit sorbet ought to have been really obvious to me, but it wasn’t. It took a gelato and sorbet connoisseur to point it out.
How does one come to have literally kilos of grapefruit? Well, my neighbor has a massive grapefruit tree and she gave me two huge bags of them. There’s only so many days you can eat grapefruit for breakfast. As an aside, my neighbor also has a mango tree. Apparently this year it didn’t do so well, but the year before it had over 300 huge mangoes. I’m planning on being especially friendly to Rosa during mango season as I’m more than happy to help with surplus mangoes! But I digress.
When life gives you grapefruit…make marmalade and sorbet
I’m not hugely fond of marmalade but ended up making two batches. The first was frankly inedible. I used all of the fruit and peel and as a result it was very bitter and pithy. To make matters worse I managed to break our oven when I was heating the jars. Mr Wallace thinks it was a deliberate ploy to get a new oven. I made the second batch in my Thermomix and used some of the rind and removed all the pith. It was much improved! The dilemma then however was what to do with the marmalade. Turns out that marmalade on lemonade scones is rather tasty.
Now, I’m one of a very rare breed of Thermomix owners who don’t love their Thermomix. In fact I’m rather ambivalent about it. I did however make grapefruit sorbet in the Thermomix with the addition of a heavy dash of gin. I must say it was delicious!
When life gives you grapefruit…make cocktails and cake
Some of my readers have a clear insight into my mind. I’m not ashamed to say that the suggestion of grapefruit and gin cocktails was the one I took the most seriously. I simply replaced my tonic with grapefruit juice, and indulged in gin and grapefruit juice. Sour, but very refreshing! I did also add a generous splash of grapefruit juice to the odd glass of bubbly. That too was a winner.
I’d never actually made a lemon yoghurt cake but figured substituting lemon rind and juice with grapefruit would do the trick. I used this recipe and it made a lovely, moist cake! Not too sweet and perfect for afternoon tea.
All that baking and cocktail making made lots of dishes, thankfully there’s rinse aid to help with the dishes.
Who knew that grapefruit was such a versatile fruit! What do you make when life gives you grapefruit?
Linking up with EssentiallyJess for #IBOT
I have tried grapefruit once. I did not like it as it was too bitter. But mangoes! Yep, I could eat them all day. Tell your neighbour to try harder with the mango trees 😉
Fingers crossed I get to do a ‘when life gives you mangoes’ post Kelly!
What a great neighbour you have! I’ve only tried grapefruit a couple of times and have never baked with it before, will have to keep it in mind!
Yes, Rosa is great Lauren. She’s also given us eggs from her chickens, orchids, and lavender cuttings!
I’m not a grapefruit fan, I find it very sour! But I don’t mind marmalade. My mum used to love grapefruit cut in half and heated with sugar on top for breakfast. Sounds like you put it to good use!
My Dad was a fan of grapefruit cut in half with a sprinkle of sugar for breakfast too. Not a bad way to eat them!
Grapefruit sorbet sounds yummy! I love a good citrus sorbet 🙂
Citrus sorbet is great isn’t it Lu!
Very interesting ideas! Thanks for sharing. It’s refreshing to read someone admit that they’re ambivalent about their Thermomix. It’s a kitchen appliance, and you use it from time to time. Love it! #teamIBOT
Emily, you are so right about the Thermomix. I could take it or leave it but that is a controversial admission!
Love the ideas! Warm weather and grapefruit cocktails sounds great 🙂 Would love a mango tree here – could eat them every day! I’m ambivalent about my Thermomix too (shhh, don’t tell anyone!)
How amazing would a mango tree be?!? Maybe we ought to create a Thermomix ambivalence group!