My Favorite Juice
I created this juice back in 2005 while experimenting with things I could do with my then sparkling new Breville fountain juicer. I had never used a juicer prior to this time other than a handheld citrus press. I was ecstatically car-free at the time so everything I juiced was what I could schlep on my back and shoulders from local markets near my apartment or carry home on the subway.
I gravitated towards my favorite fruits that were reasonably priced; grapefruits, apples, pear, oranges and lemons. I enjoyed non-sweet fruits like cucumbers and tomatoes as well as carrots and celery along with herbs and roots like cilantro (my beloved) and ginger. I would juice whatever I had on hand and enjoyed the varieties of fruits and vegetables that I put together.
Grapefruit is my favorite citrus fruit. Red grapefruit, pink grapefruit, yellow grapefruit, ANY GRAPEFRUIT(!) in fruit or juice form is happiness to me. I’ve never eaten a grapefruit and not felt GREAT afterwards! My grandmother had a wonderful yellow grapefruit tree in her yard and I remember eating these “forbidden fruits” with delight as a child. For me, grapefruits are the perfect meeting point between sweet, bitter, juicy and deeply satisfying on a cellular level. Pears are something I eat seasonally in the fall and winter. The fibrous, sweet quality of pears is one of the delights of autumn. Growing up, one of our neighbors had a lovely green Anjou pear tree and, as a kind, neighborly gesture, would give us many pears.
One day I happened to have red Anjou pears and pink grapefruits on hand. I used a citrus juicer to press the grapefruits manually, put my pears, skin and all in the juicer and poured the contents into a glass jar. Proportionately, the juice came out to be approximately 60% grapefruit and 40% red pear nectar. The proportion came about from what I happened to have on hand that day. Since pears and grapefruits vary in size and juice content, an exact number of fruits is impossible to state. However I’ve mixed approximately 7 pears and 4 grapefruits with success.
The results were amazing. It had a beautiful pink color and a pure, ecstatic flavor. It was a discovery of good fortune and pure joy. The sweet, mild flavor and slight grit of the pear balances the bold, sweet and slightly bitter juice of the grapefruit. I usually use pink grapefruit when making this recipe but its equally delightful with yellow graprefruit. The pear variety is interchangeable as well. This is an ideal juice to drink during the late fall end early to mid winter when the seasons of these fruits overlap, where the bounty of fall, pears and all, runs into citrus, one of the greatest gifts of winter.
Grapefruit Pear Juice
Equipment: Juicer, Citrus Press
Ingredients
6-7 grapefruits
4-5 pears
Directions
Cut and remove seeds from pears
Juice pear in the juicer
Halve grapefruits
Juice grapefruits in the citrus press*
Combine juices in a glass and stir
*If a citrus press is not available, remove the skin from the grapefruits, quarter and run through the juicer.
References
Interesting Facts about Grapefruit. http://justfunfacts.com/interesting-facts-about-grapefruit/ 10/1/14
Mather, Katrina. 10 Reasons Why Juicing Can Improve Your Life. https://www.thebodytoolkit.com/blog-article/10-reasons-why-juicing-can-improve-your-life
Mdovri. 30 Facts About Pears. https://www.uselessdaily.com/food/30-facts-about-pears/
Myrick, Richard. Pear Fun Facts. https://mobile-cuisine.com/did-you-know/pear-fun-facts/