Don's Mix?

Howdy gang,

Whipping up a batch of Don's mix for Zombie consumption. I've made my cinnamon-infused sugar syrup, but what kind of grapefruit juice are you using? Red or white? I think red would be great for color. Just curious..

Rick

White grapefruit juice for sure.

Well, I guess I was a little late seeing an answer. I made my Don's mix with Ruby Red Grapefruit juice. I feel it came out really good. I love the cinnamon flavoring it brings out. Don was a genius for thinking up this mixture and Beachbum Berry was ever smarter for cracking the code.

Bottoms up...

Rick

The Bum insists upon white grapefruit, as he claims the pink and red are too sweet, but I've used the red in Don's mix #2 as well, and it doesn't seem to make a tremendous amount of difference unless you're using a pre-made cinnamon syrup that's very sweet to begin with.

On 2008-02-01 17:21, Bogielocks wrote:
Howdy gang,

Whipping up a batch of Don's mix for Zombie consumption. I've made my cinnamon-infused sugar syrup, but what kind of grapefruit juice are you using? Red or white? I think red would be great for color. Just curious..

Rick

So what is your cinnamon-infused sugar syrup recipe?

And has anyone had good results with pre-made cinnamon syrups (like maybe Fee Brothers)?

In Sippin' Safari (which I just got for my birthday)...I know I'm a little slow, The Bum suggests Starbucks cinnamon syrup...that is if you are too lazy to boil sugar and water. I went to my local Starbucks and now they only have Dulce Cinnamon, as the regular cinnamon syrup has been discontinued. I guess I will have to make it from scratch.

On 2008-02-07 15:14, The Ragin' Rarotongan wrote:
In Sippin' Safari (which I just got for my birthday)...I know I'm a little slow, The Bum suggests Starbucks cinnamon syrup...that is if you are too lazy to boil sugar and water. I went to my local Starbucks and now they only have Dulce Cinnamon, as the regular cinnamon syrup has been discontinued. I guess I will have to make it from scratch.

Yes. See earlier posts regarding this:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=26890&forum=10&hilite=sonoma

It is really easy to make, just follow the recipe. And it keeps real well in the frig. I made some a few months back and I am almost finished with it. It is great.

Oh, I have made it in the past, and I just made some tonight. Next I will have to make the ginger infused syrup...anyone made that one yet? Aaron

On 2008-02-01 20:35, SufferinSimon wrote:
White grapefruit juice for sure.

Has anyone seen white grapefruit in the store this year?

I can't find any place that sells them, including Mexican and Asian markets. I had a friend that was supplying me with very spicy white grapefruit from her tree, but not recently.

The markets have tons of inexpensive red grapefruit this season ('07-'08), which are OK substitutes. Any fresh squeezed grapefruit juice is better than bottled.

I even bought a pomelo, which smelled like white grapefruit on the outside, but the juice did not taste like white grapefruit. Not recommended as a substitute for white grapefruit!

Trader Joe's has fresh 80% of the time. But, you are correct, it's disappeared in supermarket chains. The canned Ocean Spray is sporadic at Stater Brothers and gone fromRalph's, Von's, and Albertson's.

Here in Florida I have always had trouble finding white graprefruits. Pink, yes. Red, yes. But white never. At least not in the chain grocery stores.

If anyone needs whites I have an incredible supply right now.

I will send them to you fresh picked through FedEx if you pay for shipping.

As many as you could want, from Rusty Key's grove. Organically grown.

BTW, bar owners. It will cost you free drinks at $1 per grapefruit off my tab whenever I show up at your place.
Other than that- have at it. They're falling off the trees right now and perfect.

Haven't had any trouble getting white grapefruit here in the Northwest at Fred Meyer (owned by Kroger).

On 2008-02-02 13:30, MrBaliHai wrote:
The Bum insists upon white grapefruit, as he claims the pink and red are too sweet, but I've used the red in Don's mix #2 as well, and it doesn't seem to make a tremendous amount of difference unless you're using a pre-made cinnamon syrup that's very sweet to begin with.

I didn't know there was a difference between pink and white. I bet there is more of a difference between fresh, not-from-concentrate, and from concentrate juices, than there is between pink and white. And there is probably a huge difference in taste between brands. I use Tropicana Pure Premium Ruby Red not-from-concentrate since Kick-The-Reverb recommended it here. A look on Tropicana's web site shows they make the same in gold but the web's search engine turned up no chain grocery stores that carry it where I live. They say the golden is pulp free whereas the red isn't, so I would think that the gold would be better for drinks (or one could strain the pulp out of the red stuff).

On 2008-04-14 13:44, thejab wrote:
I bet there is more of a difference between fresh, not-from-concentrate, and from concentrate juices, than there is between pink and white. And there is probably a huge difference in taste between brands. I use Tropicana Pure Premium Ruby Red not-from-concentrate since Kick-The-Reverb recommended it here. A look on Tropicana's web site shows they make the same in gold but the web's search engine turned up no chain grocery stores that carry it where I live. They say the golden is pulp free whereas the red isn't, so I would think that the gold would be better for drinks (or one could strain the pulp out of the red stuff).

Jab, I agree. I bought some Ocean Spray White Grapefruit 100% Juice (it was inexpensive) that was from concentrate to give it a try, and it has an overpowering, lifeless, "from concentrate" taste that makes it unusable. The taste is almost completely removed from fresh squeezed grapefruit juice.

I've found fresh squeezed red or the Tropicana like Kick-The-Reverb uses to be good substitutes.

I've found fresh squeezed white grapefruit to be spicier and tangier than red. It really adds depth and complexity that makes the drink.

Here's another recommendation for fresh squeezed white. Here in Portland we've been getting these gorgeous Oroblanco varietal grapefruit and they are heaven (white gold, indeed). Spicy and bright with a deep tart flavor, they almost resemble a Pomelo. I'm guessing they are closer to a Pomelo anyway; the flavor and morphology are very similar.

Speaking of that, Pomelo is a great substitution for grapefruit (grapefruit are hybrids: pomelo X orange). The spicy citrus marries with the agricole and industriale rums like a freakin' champ. Ceylon Cinnamon also marries extremely well. Honey, Pomelo, cinnamon, and a Martinique? Heaven!

Try this one out if you get the chance:

Gannt Daquiri
1/2 oz Fresh Pomelo Juice (sub fresh white grapefruit)
1/4 oz honey
1/4 oz cinnamon infused syrup
2 oz aged Rhum Martinique (St James, Clement, etc.)

Shake with cracked ice and strain into chilled 4-oz cocktail glass.

Has anybody seen fresh white grapefruit lately?

On 2011-08-04 00:04, TikiSan wrote:
Has anybody seen fresh white grapefruit lately?

Fresh white only shows up during late spring up here. I never see it in the stores - only on neighbors trees.

Sorry, that wasn't much help. Some of the fancy pants stores will carry unsweetened white grapefruit juice. Not as good as fresh but still better than ruby/red grapefruit in cocktails.

Yes, fresh is best, but who wants to only drink Zombies "in season"? I buy the white grapefruit frozen concentrate, and mix up a couple ounces at a time: ½ oz. concentrate to 1½ oz. water. Keep the container sealed in the freezer with a baggie and a rubber band, so it doesn't pick up any other "exotic" flavors.

I still have some on my grapefruit tree. :)

I checked at the grocery store today and they only had White Grapefruit Juice (from concentrate) in the big plastic bottles. The only fresh (Tropicana, not from concentrate) was Ruby Red. Also, the only small bottles of juice (6-packs) they had were Ruby Red.

On the plus side, I did get some frozen Goya Passion Fruit Puree.

On 2011-08-04 12:19, hiltiki wrote:
I still have some on my grapefruit tree. :)

be right over...

I can get fresh white grapefruit here in Cincinnati about 8 month out of the year. Unfortunately I can't get them this time of year. Right now I'm using Ocean Spray White Grapefruit Juice and spiking it with a little bit of fresh squeezed whatever variety I can find (hopefully pink, ruby red if it's all that's around) to add a bit of freshness and zing to the bottled juice.

I made some Donn's Mix # 7 last nite using white grapefruit juice. will try out in a zombie tonight. Frankly though, i don't see how white v. pink/red is going to make any noticeable difference in any tiki drink i can think of other than the reverb crash. but i'd better try it in a zombie, just to be sure...