Pomelo (Pummelo)
{a concentrated wallop of sunshine in juicy, pink and dense flesh}
No matter how you pronounce its name (Puh-muh-low; Puh-MEH-low, PA-muh-low, or Pah-meh-low), with its often slightly tapered stem end, sunny personality and sweet/tart flavor, this fruit resembles nothing so much as a grapefruit on steroids. While the pulp and juice are delicious, ro my taste, its thick peel is where the most concentrated fragrance is. And like most citrus peel, pomelo’s is worth taking the time to blanch in at least a couple of changes of water to remove traces of bitterness and then proceed to candy it by cooking it slowly in a syrup made from sugar and water. After the fruit is tender and well candied, cut it up into strips and then coat the strips in coarse sugar or tempered bittersweet, milk or even white chocolate for an after-dessert dessert that would grace a festive table or make a great handmade gift to the foodies in your life.
Descended from the grapefruit originating in southeast Asia, pomelos have skin ranging from a bright chartreuse green to lemony yellow, and flesh that is either white or pink like grapefruit. Denser-fleshed and often less juicy than grapefruit, the pomelo has been known to grow up to a foot in diameter and weigh up to 22 pounds! Can you believe it? A monster pomelo. I wouldn’t want to be under that tree in a windstorm.
Farmer’s markets and the shelves where specialty produce is displayed in the supermarkets in my part of the world boast specimens weighing about 2 pounds each on average. To insure that you are not disappointed with a fruit whose skin and pith weigh more than its flesh, pick fruits that feel heavy for their size (indicating lots of juicy fruit) and if possible, ask to taste before you buy.
