Red Pummelo

Sure, the red pummelo isn't really too odd but one must admit that the gargantuan size of this citrus fruit does land it in the strange category.

Native to Southeast Asia and aptly classified as either Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis, the pummelo/pommelo/pomelo visually resembles an overgrown grapefruit and even emanates a strong grapefruit-like odor from its spongy rind when handled. Although it may dwarf the grapefruit as a whole, the flesh inside is roughly the same size. It is also incredibly similar in flavor yet noticeably lacking the characteristic bitterness or tartness of its counterpart.

When it comes to citrus, I'm a peeler. I like to maximize my consumption of a fruit's flesh and with citrus this usually means I spend a great many minute tackling the task of picking away at the tough outer skin, all the while making a mess and getting covered in limonoids. The pummelo, again like the grapefruit, may be better approached with a knife and a spoon as the rind is particularly thick, velvety, and hard to remove. Regardless, I enjoyed devouring the beast hidden within but it wasn't special enough to warrant shelling out the two bucks it cost for any future consumption.