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Our Staff’s Latest Obsession: Pomelos

When asked what she was particularly loving right now, one of our Produce Department staff said almost immediately, “Pomelos!” Another chimed in with an “Oooh, pomelos…” and yet another came around the corner, asking, “Are you guys talking about pomelos?” We’re seriously digging pomelos right now.

If you’ve ever had a pomelo, you can probably understand this one-track mindedness. If you haven’t, it’s probably time to try this up-and-coming Southeast Asian dynamo.

Pomelos are like the grapefruit’s sweeter, kinder cousin who’s gotten past the surly teenage years and now calls her mom every week. They actually precede the grapefruit, which is a cross between a pomelo and a navel orange, and can be eaten like a grapefruit (just cut in half and scooped out), but don’t have the unpleasantly harsh bitterness typically associated with grapefruits.

They are, although it’s hard to imagine, even bigger than grapefruits (their scientific name Citrus maxima clues you into that), but a lot of that girth is devoted to a very well-established rind and pith which our staff would advise should under no circumstances be eaten. You don’t even want to eat the skin surrounding each segment (so if you’re an intrepid citrus connoisseur and want to peel your pomelo, please know that you’ll want to break open each segment and scoop out the flesh before consuming). So grab a sharp knife and even one of those handy little grapefruit spoons (or should we say pomelo spoons?) and get digging!

You can expect a sweet, mellow flavor, a gorgeous texture (the cells in each segment have a glorious way of staying intact), and tons of health benefits; pomelos are high in vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, which are fantastic for bone health, digestion, a healthy immune system, and more.

We recommend eating the pomelo fresh the first time you try it and then and once you’ve fallen in love, branch out! It can be tossed with green beans, garlic oil, and chili flakes for a distinctive salad, or opt for pomelos instead of lemons when making crumbly citrus bars, or just let your imagination lead you! When you’re starting with something as good as a pomelo, you’re bound to end up somewhere amazing.