It’s citrus season but of course in Colorado that’s a moot point. I am fortunate though to have two groups of Snow Bird relations who nest in more temperate citrus regions to wait out the Northern winter’s cold hold on their primary homeland. This leads to unexpected citrus care packages.
On a very gray windy day last week a large white box announcing ‘Sunshine From Florida’ arrived care of my local Fed Ex guy. Four large trays of grapefruit and oranges were safely tucked inside. When cutting open the first grapefruit for breakfast the aroma caused instant mouth-watering; fresh, tart and teasing of warm weather. Against the gray palette of yet another windy day, it truly was like the sun came out.
One of the pure joys of citrus season has to be enjoying freshly squeezed juice! In my pile of magazine recipes was one for an untried Grapefruit Margarita. Despite parting the holidays sure I’d never crave another cocktail, the moisture vacancy of our Colorado winter has left me parched and thinking there could not be anything more thirst quenching than this!
Recipe
Grapefruit Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila (preferably Silver)
- 1 ounce orange liqueur (I used Citronage which is mid range between Cointreau and Triple Sec; any can be used)
- 1 ounce grapefruit juice , preferably freshly squeezed
- ¾ ounce lime juice , freshly squeezed
- Garnish suggestion: wedges of grapefruit and slices of lime
Instructions
- Salting a glass rim: Pour a generous amount of coarse salt into a shallow plate larger than the rim of the glass to be salted. Cut a very shallow line in thin wedge of a lime (about 1/8 inch long). Place the cut on the lime wedge onto the rim of the glass and gently run it the entire perimeter of the glass rim. Turn glass over, place into salt, gently wiggle it back and forth and remove. This should have produced a perfectly lined rim of salt!
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice. Shake and pour into a stemmed glass with salted rim* over ice.
- Alternative method for a larger batch: the original recipe suggests mixing all ingredients in an ice filled pitcher (I’d put the ice in after mixing) and pouring into glasses from the pitcher.
Notes
Nutrition
The best way to segment a perfect grapefruit half is with a Grapefruit Knife. With its double sided, serrated edges and gently bent end, the knife makes easy swift pieces. Just run the knife along the inside of each segment side then make a full circle of the outside perimeter between the edge of the segments and the peel. They lift out effortlessly especially if using a pointed end Grapefruit Spoon.
Elisabeth says
Hi Toni-Just stopped over, after seeing you comment on Kirsten's blog! Your grapfruit margarita is amazing, and so pretty! Never tried a grapefruit margarita, and to think that I eat half a pink grapefruit every morning, since we have our citrus season in full bloom, in South Florida. I also have such fond memories of my aunt-and-uncle's citrus trees in their back yard including grapefruit trees. Since they passed away, and house sold, a decade ago…new owners are not taking care of the citrus trees…sad!
Love your spectacular photos, but mostly the refreshing grapefruit margarita!
Hugs,
Boulder Locavore says
Hi Elisabeth! So glad you stopped by. I envy you your citrus season….and your temperate weather that goes with it! I definitely associate my half grapefruits with my Californian grandparents and have my Grandmother's silver grapefruit spoons. Love the simple, everyday reminders. Must be hard to see the citrus trees of your Aunt and Uncle suffering in neglect. A loss for the new property owners too to miss out on the beautiful fruit opportunity.
Suzi says
Oh, I ate grapefruit this morning fresh from our trees out back here in Central Florida. We have a number of grapfruit and orange trees, ripe and ready for picking. Who would have thought to make a grapefruit margarita? I am going for this at cocktail time, I have on my shorts and tank top already. I saw the other comment on mangos, I had one growing but two years in a row we actually had a freeze and it died. That really saddeded me, I love mangos. They grow best in South Florida. I hope you stay warm there in Colorado. We got married in Copper Mountain during the winter, it was lovely.
Boulder Locavore says
By comparison Suzi I'll share with you that I'm wearing jeans, a long sleeved shirt, Ugg boots, have the heat turned up extra high as well as the gas fire on and am considering a hot bath in my head. It's snowing off and on, which admittedly I love about living here. It's almost unfathomable that someone is existing in the conditions (and attire) you’ve described! I love South Florida by the way. Used to travel there quite a bit on business. Loved the Bohemian nature of Key West. Have to admire any place that maintains it has seceded from the Union.
Cucina49 says
I love the photos–they are just so cheery! I'm not always a fan of margaritas because they're often too sweet–using grapefruit is genius.
Boulder Locavore says
I completely agree on the sweet margaritas. They taste like a ticket on the Hangover Express to me. The citrus definitely cuts the sweetness and Citronage is not as sweet as Triple Sec but still tastes of orange.
Sara @ Saucy Dipper says
I've been trying to learn how to like grapefruit for most of my life. Maybe the grapefrui cocktail is the key. How could I not like that 🙂
Boulder Locavore says
Sara you sound like me with beets! Some partnerships are just not meant to be. BUT before you give up on grapefruit, give this margarita a try. It may get you over the hump (moreso than a Beet Margarita would for me).
Mr. Mixology says
Now we are talking! When life hands you grapefruits, make grapefruit margaritas!
My twist on the salted rim is to go 50/50 sugar and salt. Makes a nice juxtaposition!
Boulder Locavore says
Funny you suggest that. I pulled out some rimming sugar but when I tasted it, it seemed too sweet with this drink. I also thought of mixing it with salt but did not. Will have to try this next time. My only fear would be if the rim is too sweet it would pull out the tart notes from the grapefruit and change the flavor of the margarita but I'm all in favor of trying it. Thanks!
Lisa @ Tarte du Jour says
What a beautiful cocktail! I'll give this a try. My next door neighbor has a grapefruit tree in full production mode right now. We had a huge grapefruit tree and orange tree but we lost them to hurricane Wilma:( Only my Mango Tree prevailed. I hope to plant more citrus soon… one of the best reasons for living in paradise. I'm happy that you posted a cocktail again!! Great photos, Toni!
Boulder Locavore says
I left you a comment about your beautiful tart this morning and commented on my envy for your homegrown fruits! There is something very special about harvesting food from your own yard. What do you do with all your mangos? You probably have the warm weather to sit OUT and enjoy one of these Margaritas right now. Unlike me who will be nestled in a hardy down parka and Ugg boots…and certainly not sipping outdoors!
Eliotseats says
I don't know if I want an unadorned grapefruit half for breakfast or a margarita! What nice memories of your grandparents. I think I will call my relatives in TX and ask for some grapefruits to be shipped pronto!
Boulder Locavore says
Maybe you should have both! I suppose a Margarita for breakfast, even one with fresh juice like this one, it a bit much! My relatives in Arizona send me the flat rate USPS Priority Mail boxes full of citrus from their trees. It's pretty affordable for them and absolutely celebrated by me; maybe your Texas relations would do the same for you!
Lizzy says
I'm jealous of your special delivery!!! Lucky you! And I'd love to start my weekend with one of these beauties…yum!
Boulder Locavore says
I hope you will Lizzy!
celiacasaurus.com says
That looks like possibly the most refreshing cocktail ever. I'm craving citrus everything lately…it must be the dull winter weather. I'm not sure I could do the locavore thing here in Calgary, I need fresh fruit…maybe even more so in the winter months. How do you do it? I applaud your efforts, and lucky you to have generous relatives in the South!
xo,Christie
Boulder Locavore says
When I did my real locavore challenge where nothing passed my lips were it not from within 100 miles the only fruit I had from November until almost June (other than a citrus care package that I've never been so glad to see in my life) were apples, pears and any frozen fruits I'd picked from the summer.
Now for fear of scurvy amongst other potential deficiencies I will purchase fruit occaisionally but only in season varieties. Candidly I thought freezing summer fruits for winter was the best idea ever but when winter comes I don't want them. I think I'm so seasonally conditioned now I only want what is in season WHEN it is in season. I'm not a big fruit eater in the winter anyway but this citrus really hits the spot. As does this cocktail!
Kim Bee says
Oh my goodness how lucky are you. I would love some citrus from the fed ex dude. This is wonderful and so fresh looking. So pretty too. Your posts make me wish I could have alcohol. Lol!
Boulder Locavore says
Kim no reason to feel left out
The link is for a Reno 'mocktail' with grapefruit juice. Freshly sqeezed grapefruit juice is the best; you won't miss out to have that!