Sometimes you don’t have to change much at all.
A visit to a friend’s house a few weeks ago yielded a strange gift: a (giant) pomelo. The fruit was the size of a canteloupe, but when we cut into it, the pith took up most of the space – the citrus inside was only the size of a standard orange. (Yes, the pith was 1″+ thick!) The juice was very tart – comparable to lemon juice in acidity, but with a slightly grapefruity flavor.
Armed with the juice and a hankering for a Last Word, Chris decided to make a very simple derivative – swapping out the lime juice 1 for 1 with the pomelo juice he’d just retrieved.
Exactly as Expected
The results were delicious, but not surprising. The flavor is a bit cleaner, without the vegetal notes from the lime juice, but there is definitely an underlying bitter grapefruit quality as well.
If you happen to have Pomelos available, I’d say this is an excellent recipe for the substitution!
The Last Derivative Number 1
Equipment
- 1 Hand Juicer optional, for fresh Pomelo
Ingredients
- 3/4 Oz Gin
- 3/4 Oz Green Chartreuse
- 3/4 Oz Maraschino Liqueur
- 3/4 Oz Pomelo Juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake well.
- Fine strain into a cocktail glass and (optional) garnish with brandied cherries.