Author Topic: Valentine Pummelo  (Read 2423 times)

Millet

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Valentine Pummelo
« on: May 04, 2014, 08:52:35 PM »
Supposedly Valentine pummelos are ready to harvest around Valentine's day.   Hooserquilt suggested to leave the fruit hanging on the tree for another 4 to 6 weeks past Valentine's day. Doing so makes the fruit taste much MUCH better.  Today, May 4th I pick my last Valentine pummelo.  My wife and I ate it for breakfast, it was very dark red, large, sweet - and wonderful.  Hooserquilt your  correct AGAIN. - Millet

hoosierquilt

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Re: Valentine Pummelo
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2014, 09:54:12 PM »
Heh.  I'm printing off your comment, Millet, and mailing it to each of my three daughters, lol!!   :P   I'm only right on this one because the first visit I had to the UC Riverside Citrus Variety Collection was probably in mid to late February.  This was a few years ago, when Valentine was first making its way to retail citrus sellers.  I got to taste it, and to me, clearly it wasn't quite ripe.  BUT, I could tell it had promise.  You could very clearly taste all 3 genetic parents - blood orange, mandarin and pummelo.  I found that to be very fascinating, and, I figured if really ripe, it might be sweet enough for my palette.  I love the taste of grapefruit, just hate that bitter aftertaste.  I decided that I would test mine in March.  Still a little "not quite ripe" to me.  So, tried again in April, and voila, delicious.  And I'm picking the last of mine, and so very happy to say they hold quite well on the tree, and did not develop that off taste some blood oranges can get if left too long on the tree.  For me, the Valentine is one of my "Top 10" citrus.  I adore it. 

As an aside, for those of you who have had to strike grapefruit and pummelos off your diet due to conflicts with statin medications such as lovastatin, atorvastatin, and simvastatin (and so many folks over the age of 40 are on a statin), talk to your doctor about whether or not you might be able to switch up your statin to Rosuvastatin (Crestor), pravastatin (Pravachol) or fluvastatin (Lescol). as they undergo little or no metabolism by the enzyme CYP3A4 responsible for breaking down of the above mentioned statins.  Simvastatin (Zocor) and satorvastatin (Lipitor) appear to be the worst of the above statins, but if your doctor is willing to switch you over to Crestor, Pravochol or Lescol, you can enjoy grapefruit and pummelos.  Now, that being said, there are probably 80+ medications grapefruits interact with (it is Furanocoumarin that is the culprit in grapefruits and pummelos, in blocking the action of the enzyme CYP3A4 that is the main enzyme responsible for the metabolism of several drugs, including the above statins, as well as Allegra, btw), so do take care that you don't end up with issues outside of the statins and Allegra I've mentioned.  So, if this is preventing you from enjoying grapefruits and the lovely Valentine pummelo, chat up your doctor and see if you can switch your statin! (Patty the RN).


Millet

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Re: Valentine Pummelo
« Reply #2 on: May 05, 2014, 09:00:29 AM »
I told my Doctor about grapefruit, and he switched me to Crestor about 5 weeks ago. - Millet

hoosierquilt

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Re: Valentine Pummelo
« Reply #3 on: May 06, 2014, 04:13:24 PM »
Very good, Millet!  Too many fabulous citrus cultivars missed if you're on a statin that conflicts with Furanocoumarin.  Excellent!