OK. So I travel a fair amount for work. I find myself in hotels or quaint B&Bs at least half a dozen times each year and I've noticed something that is really starting to make me wonder. And it may sound totally idiotic and silly but, well... See, it's like this. I'm a grapefruit juice lover. In fact, I drink a glass every morning with my coffee ever since I learned (thanks, Dad!) that one glass of grapefruit juice along with your coffee extends the effects of the caffeine twofold.
That's right. Drink a glass of grapefruit juice with your coffee and you'll be alert for 4 hours if a solo cup would normally give you 2. That's not a bad deal. Also, I just like the taste.
So what's up with this? In NYC, you walk into any Deli (and by Deli I mean convenience store) on any corner in just about any neighborhood and you can find this:
a neat 14 oz. individual-sized carton of ruby red.
But go to Boston, Pittsburgh, Denver, Portland (either one) and a request for grapefruit juice will yield either a puzzled look or, you'll be directed to some awful grapefruit drink, which although its label boasts "100% juice" is composed of a bunch of juice varieties I'm not at all interested in, including: grape and cane. Cane juice? Are these guys for real? Can you say "bullshit pseudonym for sugar?" Oy!
So my question is this. Why does grapefruit juice seem to be so scarce outside of the NY Metro area? What's the common link? What is the cultural connection between grapefruit and NYC? Why is it equally difficult to grab a casual swig of this juice in Miami or LA, of all places? I mean, I thought that's where grapefruit came from! I mean, after it's been plucked from the tree.
Thoughts? This is so odd to me. Have the suits at Tropicana done extensive market research convincing them that Bostonians simply don't like the stuff? That Milwaukee-ans are afraid of a little tart in their carton? What do you suppose is up with this? And is there a chance it might someday change?
