Pharr Mom and son face off in grapefruit pie contest

Andy Schmidt has loved grapefruit for as long as he can remember — especially the sweet-tart Ruby Red variety, a citrus fruit that’s plentiful in the Rio Grande Valley.

Although, Andy has never tried grapefruit pie, a dessert traditionally made with ripe slices of grapefruit swimming in a sweet gelatin filling and topped with dollops of whipped cream.

When his mother, Nydia, happened upon an announcement of “Martha’s Grapefruit Pie Bake Off,” she instantly entered both Andy and herself in the competition.

“He can eat grapefruit day and night,” Nydia said. “Especially now because it’s so sweet. So when I saw ‘grapefruit’ I thought of him, and I decided I’d do it just for him.”

Named for 92-year-old local Martha Ware and her recipe, the contest is an homage to the fruit and dessert that is a classic in the Valley, but remains obscure in some corners of the country.

The Texas Food Revolution will be presenting the bake off at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at “The Market at Alhambra,” located at 519 S.17th St. in McAllen.

The contest costs $5 to enter per pie, and there will be $500 in cash and prizes awarded to the top three winners.

There are two categories bakers can enter in. In the traditional category, any ingredients may be used, but the pie must include grapefruit from the RGV. Category two requires cooks use at least 75 percent local ingredients.

Eighteen-year-old Andy, a senior at Macedonian Christian Academy, and his mother peeled the pith from large segments of the brightly-colored fruit to practice baking their pies.

Nydia prepared the gelatin layer of the classic dessert while Andy arranged the citrus pieces on the pie crust. Though for every slice of grapefruit Andy peeled for the pie, he ate one himself.

“I do (love grapefruit), ever since I was little,” Andy said. “I’ve never had grapefruit pie, though.”

Nydia used to have Andy help her in the kitchen when he was younger.

“I would sit him up on the counter and just give him a bowl and he’d mix, like, a batter for me,” his mom said. “And when he got older, he’d come (to the stove) and stir the meat.”

While the two are competing in the grapefruit pie contest, they’re not taking the face-off too seriously.

“It’s fun, and it’s something we’re going to be cooking together and experimenting with textures and flavors, and just the fact that we can do something together, it’s fun,” Nydia said. “If he beats me, I’ll be very glad and proud for him.”

After fastidiously peeling about four large grapefruit, Andy placed the last juicy piece of fruit on top, and then Nydia poured the red filling into the pie shell.

Both of them will have to taste-test pie after pie to find the right one. It’s a challenge Andy is willing to take.

“Well, you got to do what you got to do,” he said, while popping another slice of grapefruit in his mouth.