The pomelo has most likely originated in Southeast Asia and Malaysia where it grew wild. However as time goes by, the pomelo seeds were introduced all around the world and was planted in many different parts of the continent. It has been especially presumed to have been grown by the Chinese for thousands of years and is currently much cultivated in Southern China (Kwang-tung, Kwangsi and Fukien Provinces).

Interestingly, it also gains the name ‘shaddock’ after an English sea captain, Captain Shaddock who became well-known after introducing the grapefruit to the West Indies in the 17th Century from the Malay Archipelago. The grapefruit name was then used after a 19th century naturalist likened the fruit to grapes, which grew no clusters (although it does not have any botanical relationship whatsoever).

However, according to imbibe magazine it was a certain Captain Smith, who introduced the fruit.
I will let you make of it what you will. The origin isn’t that important anymore, but the mystique adds to the allure of the tantalisingly aromatic taste sensation.

Named for the East India Trading Company captain who introduced the pomelo fruit to Jamaica, this cocktail is a beautiful cold-weather take on the classic Daiquiri. To add an extra dimension to the flavor, beverage director Justin Elliott incorporates a pomelo falernum made with Caribbean spices and almonds.

So, on with the recipe, which, by the way comes from Imbibe Magazine.

Recipe credit: Justin Elliott

• 60ml White Rum-William & George, in honour of the Dutch West Indies
• 15ml Lime Juice
• 15ml Pomelo Falernum
• 1 dash Absinthe

Garnish: dehydrated lime wheel (or a fresh lime wheel)
Combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with either a dehydrated Lime Wheel, or a fresh one, if you haven’t been busy during lockdown making anything to take up time 😳

The recipe for the Falernum follows, and just a heads up. Like my last statement, this takes time, and I appreciate not everyone has.

POMELO FALERNUM

• 3 pomelos worth of zest (reserve the juice for something else.)
• 20 grams fresh ginger, sliced thinly
• 180ml overproof rum
• 100 grams raw almond slivers
• 4 grams nutmeg
• 4 grams allspice berries
• 7 grams cloves
• 2 whole cardamom pods, smashed

Toast the nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cardamom for 5 minutes, or until you can start to smell the oils. Add the almond slivers and toast for an additional 5-7 minutes until they turn slightly golden. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile, combine the pomelo zest, ginger and rum in a container. Combine the spices and almonds with the zest mix and let sit for 48 hours before use. Double strain the liquid. Combine the 1 part of liquid with 2 parts of simple syrup 1:1, and shake to integrate.

If you need simple syrup recipe, it’s equal weight/ volume of water to sugar, heat gently while stirring to dissolve sugar, then cool.