my family used to own a grapefruit orchard in the rio grande valley.
that’s a very little known fact about me. probably so little known i don’t even pull it out in those “tell us something no one knows about you” ice breakers… i usually share that i’ve slept at julia roberts’ house. but it’s true.
my dad grew up in “the valley” down by the mexican border. though i grew up in houston, when i was a girl we owned an orchard of beautiful ruby red grapefruit trees down in the valley.
i don’t know that i appreciated those texas gems as much as i do now. i have struggled to find the real deal ruby red varieties up here in new york. but i do still love the grapefruit-y flavor of even the average variety.
not to mention, grapefruit is quite good for you. it helps curb your appetite. lowers cholesterol. provides a heavy dose of vitamin c. fights cancer. and smells awesome. (totally one of my essential oil favorites for boosting energy and making the room smell amazing.)
those red varieties my dad grew have the most healthy benefits and, in my opinion, the best flavor.
so when the recipe redux ladies asked us to pull out our favorite dehydrated food recipes, i knew i had to use my favorite…. dried grapefruit.
i do love them for their flavor, smell and health benefits, but they are also so lovely when dried. like nature’s stained glass.
like anything else dried or concentrated, the flavor is rather strong and a bit bitter. i love it (think coffee or really dark chocolate bitter). the texture becomes like eating a really healthy potato chip.
speaking of chocolate, they’re so gorgeous dipped in dark chocolate. and the chocolate rounds out the flavor a bit and pairs so beautifully with the intense grapefruit taste. certainly pretty enough to display for a tea party or give as gifts.
if you’re not so inclined to eat them whole, pop a round into a cup of tea, grind coarsely and mix with coarse salt, or even chop and stir into scone or cookie dough. if all else fails, string them together and hang them on your mantle!
Dried Grapefruit Slices
Ingredients
- 2 grapefruits sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
- dark chocolate
Instructions
- Heat a oven at convection bake to 175°. Blot grapefruit with paper towels and place on racks on a baking sheet. Cook grapefruit rounds at 175° (convection bake) for 4 hours or until dried to the touch. They shouldn't be sticky at all, but crisp. If your oven doesn't have a convection option, bake at 175°, but cook time will be longer.
- Melt dark chocolate, dip grapefruit halfway into chocolate and place on parchment to dry.
