Cocktail Grapefruit

The Cocktail grapefruit, also known as the Mandelo, is a citrus hybrid developed at the University of California, Riverside, in the 1950s. It was specifically bred by crossing a Siamese Sweet pomelo with a Dancy mandarin. The resulting fruit combines the traits of both its parent fruits.

While it resembles a standard grapefruit on the outside, the Cocktail grapefruit possesses a much sweeter, less bitter flavor profile. The flesh is juicy and inherits the sweetness from its Dancy mandarin parentage. It has a complex flavor that is often described as a blend of grapefruit and mandarin.

The Cocktail grapefruit was created at the University of California, Riverside's Citrus Experiment Station during the 1950s. The breeding program crossed a pomelo with a mandarin to create this distinct cultivar. It remains a specialty fruit rather than a mainstream commercial crop.

Unlike standard grapefruit which is often coated in sugar to counteract its bitterness, the Cocktail grapefruit is sweet enough to eat plain. Its low acidity and high natural sugars make it a delicious fresh-eating fruit. You can simply slice it in half and scoop out the segments.