Citrus paradisi -- doesn't it sound romantic? It's the Latin name for grapefruit. Here in Florida, today is more than just another day in paradise, it's Day One of National Grapefruit Month. Okay, National Grapefruit Month may be a gimmick spotlighting the state's $9 billion dollar citrus industry but there's method to the marketing madness. February's naturally when grapefruit reaches its sparkling, C-rich peak. Alas, National Grapefruit Month has already gotten off to a rocky start.
Remember that cold front a few weeks back? January was the coldest on record here, especially around Vero Beach and Indian River, the lush area better known as the citrus belt. Temps dropped to freezing for almost two weeks straight. A freeze may make you grumble and spend a small fortune on space heaters and hot chocolate, but it kills citrus.
Remember those weirdly beautiful web images of icicle-glazed citrus? They translate as something other than art to citrus farmers. Those crops are their livelihood. And a reliable part of your breakfast. Florida grows over a third of the world's grapefruit.
When the barometer drops, seasoned citrus growers like George Hamner Jr. hustle. "You get as much water as you can into the ground," he says. "It evaporates and gives heat. The more water you have, the more heat given off through evaporation." He made sure the trees on his two thousand acres got plenty of water. Did it work?
"It take times for damage to show up," says Hamner with the philosophical air of someone whose family has been growing citrus for over 60 years.
In a worst case scenario, the cold causes leaf and twig damage affecting the tree's growth and production. That, Hamner fears, has been the case with a swath of orange groves across the state. Grapefruit may have come out a little better. After the freeze, most of the grapefruit stayed on the trees. "With a severely damaged tree, the fruit will drop to the ground. "
When a grower's crop takes a hit, it's like you having a computer virus without the possibility of system back up -- your precious files are gone, daddy, gone and that's it. You can reconstruct some of the stuff you lost, but only part, and the process is painful, painstaking and costly. "We did not need the freeze one way or the other," says Hamner with typical understatement.
In the coming weeks, you may'll feel the effects of the freeze in your wallet as you grouchily shell out more for your morning sunshine. Orange prices are up and the five-pound bag of grapefruit I bought last week for $2.50 jumped to $3.59.
The issue, though, goes beyond what we pay for citrus. The Florida freeze reminds us we depend on the earth to live and to eat. It's a big, fat, obvious truth we have trouble holding onto. A freeze is natural. What's not natural is the way we've become used to eating -- according to our whims, not according to the season. We've come to think the earth is here to serve us. Most of the time, it does. But we push the limits and tax our resources with our bratty give-it-to-me-now attitude, demanding asparagus in winter, grapefruit in summer.
Returning to the rhythm of the earth can be as easy and gratifying as eating seasonally. Living in the moment isn't anything I'm otherwise good at, but enjoying locally-grown grapefruit when it's ripe and ready makes a compelling case for being present, mindful, all those things I'd like to be better at.
Celebrate grapefruit season, however short it may be. Taste paradise. Sweet.
In the Moment Grapefruit and Fennel SaladGrapefruit and fennel are both winter crops and are loaded with vitamin C, antioxidants, potassium and fiber. Walnuts are crazy with Omega-3s. Toss together with a lightly sweet vinaigrette and you've got a palate-dazzling super-seasonal salad brimming with health.
1 fennel bulb
1 grapefruit
4 tablespoons walnut oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese rice wine)
1 tablespoon honey or agave
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 cup walnuts
2 ounces (roughly 4 cups) arugula, spinach or other winter green
freshly ground pepperPeel grapefruit and cut sections into bite-sized pieces. Discard seeds and trim away bitter membrane and pith. Place grapefruit pieces in a large bowl.
Halve fennel bulb and slice very thin. Add to grapefruit.
In a small bowl, whisk together walnut oil, mustard, mirin, honey and fennel seeds until emulsified. Pour mixture over grapefruit and fennel, toss gently and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerated for up to 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 350. Coarsely chop walnuts and pour onto a shallow baking pan. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
Gently toss greens in with grapefruit and fennel. Top with chopped nuts and a grind or two of pepper.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.