Charred Grapefruit Gin & Tonic #FoodieExtravaganza

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays or cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. Posting day for #FoodieExtravaganza is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board!

This month I am hosting; I asked the group to share grapefruit recipes in honor of National Grapefruit Month. Here's the line-up...

• Charred Grapefruit Gin & Tonic by Culinary Cam (you're here)

• Grapefruit Chaat Salad Bowl by Sneha's Recipe

• Grapefruit Panna Cotta by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

• Paloma by A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Thai Salad Yam Sam O by Pandemonium Noshery

Other Grapefruit Creations

It's not that I don't use grapefruit often. I just usually eat it with a spoon before I get to create any recipes with it. However, D made a Pink Grapefruit Curd a couple of years ago, then used it in an ice cream. Back in 2018, as part of the #KitchenMatrixCookingProject, I shared Seared Scallops Over Grapefruit Barley Risotto. And when the #FoodNFlix group watched Coco, I poured my Habanero Salted Grapefruit Margaritas.

Charred Grapefruit Gin & Tonic

But, for this event, I wanted to do a riff on one of my favorite cocktails: the gin and tonic. Add a slice of salt-sprinkled grilled grapefruit to your favorite G&T and you have a winner. I like to use St. George Botanivore gin with its bergamot notes. And, because I am allergic to quinine, I use a locally made tonic syrup.

Ingredients makes 2 cocktails

• 4 slices organic pink grapefruit

• 3 ounces gin

• 2 ounces tonic (I am allergic to quinine, so I use a quinine-free tonic syrup)

• 2 ounces soda

• salt (I used fleur de sel)

• Also needed: ice, grill or grill pan, cocktail shaker, muddler, two rocks glasses

Procedure

Heat a gas grill or grill pan over medium heat. Place grapefruit on grill and cook, flipping once, until lightly charred, approximately 1 minute on each side. Remove from heat and set aside. Slice 1 in half for the garnish and sprinkle with salt. In a cocktail shaker or large mason jar, muddle 2 to 3 slices of grilled grapefruit, extracting as much juice from the slices as you can. Fill the container with ice and pour in gin and tonic. Shake or stir to combine.

Into an ice-filled glass, strain in the gin mixture. Top with soda and garnish with grilled grapefruit slice.

That's a wrap for my offering to the #FoodieExtravaganza National Grapefruit Month event. Next month Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories has us sharing ravioli recipes. Stay tuned!