What do I do with grapefruit?

[merci_me]

One of the attorneys my daughter works for was in the Texas Gulf Coast Valley the other day and today he brings her a gift box with 6 huge grapefruits AND an 18 lb bag of grapefruits.

She hates grapefruit and I can't eat it since it doesn't mix with my medications. My husband likes grapefruit, but there must be over 25 lbs.

Any ideas? I'm thinking maybe I could run it through the food processor and make a "slush" and freeze it by the pints and maybe use it in punches or with gin or WHAT??? I need some recipe ideas, but not for fresh grapefruit, since obviously, it's not going to stay fresh long enough to use even a tiny bit of it.

The only recipe I think I've ever used for grapefruit was one time in a pie made with Eagle Brand, in a gingersnap crust, so I'll do that, but what else?

[yellowdogintexas]

1. actually the slush idea for punches might work!

I have a cake recipe that uses red grapefruit. It is quite tasty

I have to think about where it is and it is too late to do that now.

Too bad you can't eat it as it is good for you.

It actually keeps pretty well at room temp.

[Warpy]

2. Let it start to mold, and throw it at a Repuglican

Seriously, I have no clue since I'm allergic to it and it interferes with some of my meds on top of that.

However, I thought if nobody else had much of a suggestion...


(seriously, a friend of mine juiced one and added some Triple Sec to it, said it was really good that way)

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Grapefruit and meds ........

I have the same problem, I think .... cholesterol meds (mevacor). The label says not to take with grapefruit. But the debate rages .... if I take the pills at night, is a morning grapefruit okay?

Any else who takes mevacor or zocor or any of that family of meds know the answer?

[eleny]

4. I read recently...

...here at DU - that eating a grapefruit a day reduces cholesterol. Perhaps it's best to ask your doc about this.
Maybe the pharmacist will know, too.

[babylonsister]

5. I'm on Lipitor so no grapefruits for me, sadly.

I wouldn't risk it, but I take meds in the a.m.

[supernova]

6. Here's a People's Pharmacy editoral about grapfruit and meds

And here's the money quote:

Many patients wonder whether they can eat grapefruit or drink its juice at breakfast time and take their medication in the evening. This tactic seems logical, but it may be misleading. The grapefruit effect can last for more than 24 hours, so drugs that interact dangerously with grapefruit might be too risky even at bedtime. In such cases, it is worthwhile to ask the doctor if a medicine that doesn't react with grapefruit might do the job.

http://www.peoplespharmacy.org/archives/editorial/grapefruit_interactions_are_confusing.asp

If you do a search on 'grapefruit' at The People's Pharmacy Web site, they have more info and a pamphlet that you can get that has more detail. They were some of the first people to notice the drug/grapefruit phenomenon because callers kept telling them wierd stories with their meds and grapefruit.

Joe and Terry Graedon are couple that started out around here with a radio show, which they still do, called The People's Pharmacy. He's a pharmacologist and she's a medical anthropologist. But they have chosen to share their knowledge with the general public. They cover all sorts of topics from meds and med development, to drug interactions, home remedies, and medicine in the developing world.

Sorry for the commercial for them, but they do try very hard to get the straight story.

[Warpy]

10. The statins act in the liver

and have a very long duration of action. My advice would be to skip the grapefruit and find some other way to get your vitamin C.

If someone serves you grapefruit juice in punch once a year at a party, it's not going to affect you much. However, avoid the stuff when you can.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Okay, to beat this subthread to death ........

Is all grapefruit harmful? And why aren't other citrus fruits?

I don't miss grapefruit, particularly, and even if I could have it I likely wouldn't prefering many other citrus (citrii?) to grapefruit.

But I have to wonder ... blood oranges? Navels? Even Ugli fruit. All pretty similar to grapefruit. And all of them I love. And eat. Quite a bit.

[supernova]

7. You can take the rinds and make marmalade

A week ago I wouldn't have thought of grapefruit marmalade, but I've been back to Southern Season a couple of times this past week. In the jams and preserves aisle, what do I find but grapefuit marmalade.

[Dora]

8. Pink grapefruit curd would be beautiful.

Pink grapefruit tart, with whipped cream.... mmmm.

[Shakespeare]

11. ooooh....what a great idea!!

the ruby red kind have been on sale here lately...and I have some currently empty canning jars....

[japple]

9. Invite a bunch of people over for brunch and served broiled

grapefruit.

Actually, the frozen juice or slush sounds like a great idea. Your husband could make smoothies or cocktails. I LOVE grapefruit juice and tequila. Hmmmh, maybe you could serve that at your brunch, too.

[Tab]

12. You can make grapefruit sorbet which is yummy

although with 25 lbs of grapefruit, that's a lot of sorbet.

You may just have to give some of that away - if you don't know anyone that needs that much, maybe to a shelter or something if there's one around.

[The empressof all]

13. Ruby Throated Hummingbird Cake

That one got my attention. Here's a link to more grapefruit ideas.


http://www.ultimatecitrus.com/grapefruit.html



And there's always this old standby

Grapefruit Meringue Pie
TJ Hill - Appetites Catered

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening -- chilled
1/4 cup grapefruit soda -- such as squirt
3/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
4 cups fresh grapefruit juice -- strained
6 egg yolk -- beaten
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest -- finely grated
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar

Sift together flour and 1teaspoon salt. Cut in shortening to a coarse meal. Sprinkle with grapefruit soda-mix with a fork. Form into a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30-60 minutes. Divide in half and rollout to size of pan used. Place in pan, line with foil, and weight with dried beans repeat with remaining pastry. Bake @ 425 degrees for 8 minutes. Remove beans and foil. Bake @ 425 degrees for 2 minutes. Remove from oven, cool. Combine cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Stir in water and grapefruit juice. Place over a medium flame. Bring to a boil, heat and stir for 1 minute, reduce heat. Heat and stir for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool for 5 minutes. Stir 1 tablespoon into beaten yolks-mix well. Whisk yolk mixture back into heated mixture. Stir in grated zest and butter-mix well. Allow to stand and cool for 10 minutes. Pour into prepared pie shells. Combine egg whites and cream of tarter-beat until frothy beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff and shiny spoon over filling to cover filling evenly. Bake @ 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes to toast top of meringue. Remove from oven, allow to cool completely. Serve slightly chilled.
Yields: 8 servings

[merci_me]

15. About the grapefruit with medications

I know you shouldn't take it with channel blockers, since I've been on them for about 12 years and that was the end of an occasional juice glass of grapefruit. I think there's another of my nine different prescription drugs that had the same warning, but I was already off the grapefruit.

I also know not to take it with Zocor, since I went off of Zocor about 4 months ago, after 2 years, due to muscle deterioration. It seems in those 4 months, other problems that had been creeping up on me, seem to be subsiding. Anyway while researching the Zocor on the net, back before taking myself off of it, I saw the grapefruit warning time and again.

Thank god it wasn't a chocolate warning!!!

Mary

[merci_me]

16. Now for what I'm going to do with the grapefruit..........

actually, what my husband is going to do......he's going to process some of it into a slush and freeze it. We figure it can be mixed with gin, vodka or tequila and also with lemonade or limeade during the hot summer.

We thought, as was suggested, to take it to a homeless shelter, but the more I think about it, with the warnings about mixing it with medications, I'm a bit concerned that the warning might get lost. So, I think the thing to do is ask a few neighbors, making sure they aren't taking a medication that doesn't mix with the grapefruit.

I'd do like someone else suggested, throwing it out and letting it rot, but in Houston, believe me, on these 80 degree spring days, garbage grows and then I'd have MORE grapefruit!!!

Mary