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Those who don’t like grapefruit probably don’t know much about them. Most likely, they do not know that there are about 20 varieties of grapefruit, that the redder the fruit, the sweeter it is, and all this hellish bitterness is concentrated in a film that envelops each slice. And they certainly have not tried grapefruit tinctures, which at the moment change the idea of uXNUMXbuXNUMXban overseas fruit.
I have always been cold to grapefruits. This bitterness drove me crazy. But as soon as you try the “Salted Dog” (a cocktail based on vodka with grapefruit juice), the attitude towards this ambiguous fruit became a little warmer. Alcohol, as it often happens, put everything in its place. Looking at this situation from my bell tower, I decided that since this makes a good cocktail, it means that a wonderful tincture will turn out. The result of my reflections were five good reasons to love grapefruit, in the form of recipes, of course.
There are about 20 varieties of grapefruit, so do not rush to conclusions. There are more tart and bitter ones – they are yellow, there are sweeter ones – they are red. If only zest is used in the recipe, then choose the most fragrant ones, but if you need juice, then you can’t go wrong with red ones. That’s the whole philosophy of such tinctures. Unless you make a mistake with aging – grapefruit tinctures belong to the category of drinks that lose their taste and aroma over time, so it is recommended to use them within 1 year.
So that the grapefruit does not taste bitter, it is enough to remove the translucent film that envelops each slice of the fruit. It is in it that bitter glycosides and quinic acid are concentrated.
Tincture “Honey Grapefruit”
- 750 ml of vodka or moonshine 40-50%
- 4 medium sized grapefruits
- 50-150 ml aromatic honey
Pour boiling water over grapefruits and rub well with a waffle towel to remove preservatives. Remove and finely chop the zest without the white skin. Mix vodka, zest and honey in a one and a half liter jar, mix well with a wooden spoon. Close the jar tightly and leave in a dark, cool place for about 7 days. When the liquid acquires a strong taste and smell of grapefruit, drain it through a sieve into a clean container, do not squeeze the zest. Store the finished tincture in a dark cabinet. Let it rest for at least 2 weeks before tasting. The shelf life is not limited, but it is advisable to drink the drink within 1 year. Mix with Campari on ice or use in place of vermouth for a Dry Martini.
Quick grapefruit tincture with alcohol
- 500 ml alcohol 95%
- 500 ml grapefruit juice
- 200 g sugar
- 200 ml of water
Make a simple syrup from water and sugar. Squeeze out 0,5 liters of fresh grapefruit juice. Mix juice, syrup and alcohol in a jar of suitable volume and let it brew for 2 weeks. At the end of the period, strain through a sieve or several layers of gauze, filter well through cotton wool or coffee filters, pour into clean bottles. Before tasting, let the tincture rest for a week or two. Store in a dark cool place. The shelf life of the drink is limited, but if you store it in the refrigerator, then it will stand for at least six months.
Orange-grapefruit tincture on cognac
- zest of 1 grapefruit
- zest of 2 oranges
- 750 ml of cognac
- 200-250 ml aromatic honey
- a pinch of ground cinnamon
- a pinch of ground coriander
Pour boiling water over citrus fruits and rub with a waffle towel. Carefully remove the zest without white skin, chop the zest. Mix orange and grapefruit zest, spices and cognac in a one and a half liter jar, close the jar tightly and leave in a dark, cool place for 2 weeks. After draining the tincture through a sieve or several layers of gauze, add liquid honey, close the jar tightly and send it back to settling. Shake the contents vigorously every day so that the honey is completely dissolved. After a week, filter the grapefruit tincture through a cotton filter or thick cloth, pour into a clean bottle and let stand for at least one month before serving.
Grapefruit tincture with wine
- 6 medium grapefruits
- 750 ml dry white wine
- 500 ml alcohol 95%
- 200 g sugar
- zest of ½ orange
Pour boiling water over grapefruits and orange and rub with a waffle towel. Remove the zest from half the orange and all the grapefruits, being careful not to touch the white skin. Squeeze the juice from grapefruits, pour it into a small saucepan and add sugar. Warm over low heat, stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat, cool, mix in a jar of suitable volume with wine (such as Chardonnay) and alcohol, add grapefruit and orange zest. Close the jar tightly and send to infuse in a dark, cool place for 1 month. Strain the tincture through cheesecloth, filter through cotton wool or coffee filters and pour into clean bottles. You can drink immediately, but exposure is always welcome.
Simple grapefruit tincture with ginger
- 2 large grapefruits
- 500 ml gin or vodka
- 1 st. l. peeled and chopped ginger
Pour boiling water over grapefruits and rub with a waffle towel. Remove the zest, avoiding the white skin, squeeze out the juice. In a jar of suitable volume, combine juice, zest, a tablespoon of ginger root and gin / vodka, mix well. Close the jar tightly and send to infuse in a dark, cool place for 2 weeks. Strain through a sieve or several layers of gauze, filter through cotton, thick cloth or coffee filters, pour into clean bottles. Wait a week or two before tasting. Store in a dark cabinet. Consume within 1 year!
This recipe in action: