OK, first things first it isn’t truly a grapefruit. This citrus fruit is actually a seedless white-fleshed acidless pummelo-grapefruit hybrid. But botany aside, it’s referred to as Oro Blanco citrus and tastes just like the best grapefruit you’ve ever had – exceptionally sweet with a perfectly balanced citrus tang and a hint of something that tastes almost like pine. The amazing thing about the Oro Blanco is there is no bitterness!
Oro Blanco, oroblanco (Spanish for white gold), or sweetie can be readily identified by their bright green exterior early in the season. With this variety, green is good. As the season progresses, green turns to golden yellow. In either case the Oro Blanco is ripe, sweet, and ready to eat. Oro Blancos are as big or bigger than a medium sized grapefruit, generally round to flat round, with a rind up to ½ inch thick. The most notable characteristic of an Oro Blanco is the flavor. It eats sweet and the flesh lacks the bitterness sometimes associated with grapefruit. Those that have sampled them describe the flavor as a grapefruit with the sugar already added. Our Oro Blancos are available from the end of October to mid April.
The Oro Blanco is appreciated mostly for its sweetness. Think of it as a white “pink” grapefruit, though the taste is a bit more complex. When it comes to grapefruit, the best in the West is Oro Blanco. It’s a favorite of many farmers market shoppers.