January at Middlebury is one of the best times to eat grapefruit. With abundant free time and ripe, juicy fruit readily available, there's really no excuse not to enjoy this awesome food.
Also, it's cool to eat grapefruits; they have recently been popularized in celebrity diet regimens. Though the "grapefruit diet" might not be the best choice for everyone, taking time out of your day to slow down and enjoy what you're eating is definitely beneficial. A grapefruit does exactly that.
If you don't have a lot of experience with grapefruits, the thought of eating one might be a little intimidating. But with a little practice, it's easy to become a grapefruit pro. Some people like to peel their grapefruit and eat the segments. I personally find this a little messy and prefer to cut it in half, then eat each half segment. Make sure you cut around the edge of each segment for an optimal grapefruit experience. Here are some tips:
-Pick a grapefruit that is yellow with a slight pink tinge.
-Your grapefruit should be a little squishy, but not too much.
-Be prepared. Get a knife, a spoon, and napkins.
-Drink the juice at the end, it's yummy!
Grapefruits are a very interesting fruit, and here are some fun facts:
-The U.S. produces the most grapefruit of any country, and grapefruit is best in season in the winter and early spring.
-Grapefruit used to be called the "forbidden fruit."
-Grapefruits usually have 10 to 14 segments. Since I read that fact last year, I've counted the number of segments in every grapefruit I have eaten and have never found less than 10 or more than 14. So if you do, take a picture! It might be a rare mutant!
-I have read some articles that say grapefruits may have bad interactions with some medications, so be careful!
Now get out there and eat some grapefruit!
