Melogold Grapefruit for Delivery or Pickup

Melogold is a citrus fruit hybrid between grapefruit and pomelo. The pomelo is the main ancestor of the grapefruit and is originally from Southeast Asia, and the grapefruit is a hybrid of the pomelo originating in Barbados. Melogold was created to have something similar to grapefruit but with less acidity and bitterness. Since the illegal importation of citrus varieties were causing bacterial diseases on trees from California, Texas, and Florida, scientists began to create local hybrids.

In 1958, Doctors James Cameron and Robert Soost from the University of California, Riverside, crossed with a tetraploid grapefruit and found two of the offspring to have attractive characteristics. One was named Oroblanco, and the other Melogold. Melogold was more similar to pomelo and was released in 1986. 

The Melogold has a thinner yellowish-green skin that once mature turns bright yellow, and it has a pale yellow flesh with a sweet and tart flavor. It is very juicy and has almost no seeds, so there's not a lot of work to prepare it for eating. It is a California fruit that was created to get the best of citrus and sweet worlds, as well as adapt to the local climate of the state. Thanks to science, a near-ideal citrus fruit was created.

Melogold is available for harvest from winter to early spring and is preferred by growers for holding well on the tree and being a productive fruit. In fact, it was a part of breeding experiments to create citrus varieties that would hold well in California's warmer climate. Melogold's fruit holds on the tree without falling prematurely even if there are weather changes. 

Even if this citrus variety was created to adapt to California and have a local variety in the U.S., Melogold became a popular citrus in Japan and Korea for New Years'. It is sweet enough for most people to enjoy and has plenty of juice.

Melogold is best consumed straight out of the peel. The fruit has a lot of juice in it and is a bitter-sweet combination that is quite refreshing during warmer months. You can add lemon juice, chili powder, honey, salt, or sugar to add another layer of flavor. The fruit can be cut to make fruit salads, be part of appetizers, and fruit bowls. 

It can also be blended into a fruit juice, cocktails, or be part of a smoothie. Melogold is just sweet enough to be a topping for ice cream, yogurts, and cereal, as well as desserts like cakes, puddings, and muffins. Sorbets and granitas are another way to enjoy Melogold's sweet and tart flavor.

Choose a Melogold that is dense and weighs well for its size with a thin, smooth skin. When you squeeze the Melogold, it should feel a bit firm to the touch and feel like there's a lot of juice inside. Also, when you smell the skin of the Melogold, it should have a pleasant fragrance. 

Melogold holds well at room temperature for some days, and in the fridge, it can hold for about three weeks in the crisper area. You can also already peel the Melogold, cut the flesh inside and place it in a plastic container to eat later. It can also be frozen to enjoy cold.