Grapefruit Dazzler - Bill Brady Photography

Imagine your guests’ surprise when, instead of offering them a cocktail, you offer them quite possibly the most refreshing pick-me-up they’ve ever had. If you haven’t tried grapefruit vodka, prepare yourself for a stunner. So here’s what you do: cut Ruby Red or pink grapefruits in half. Figure one large grapefruit will serve two people. With a small serrated knife, carefully remove the flesh from the grapefruits. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Place half the chunks in each grapefruit half. Saturate with 1 ½ ounces of grapefruit vodka. Chill well before serving. Add a spring of mint. Cheers!

Grapefruit Sorbet

Sugar tames the tartness of the grapefruit in this refreshing palate-cleansing sorbet. With only two essential ingredients, it is a breeze to make. (You’ll need an ice cream maker.) Should you come across a sorbet recipe with water added to the juice, drop it immediately from your browsing. A sorbet must be redolent with fruit flavor and there should be no watering down of flavor.

Ingredients (Makes about a quart)

4 large Ruby Red grapefruits

¾ cup granulated sugar

2 T-grapefruit vodka*

2 T Campari bitters*

Directions

1. Squeeze juice from grapefruits. Strain. You should have about 3 cups of juice (If you have more, add more sugar accordingly.)

2. In a small saucepan mix sugar with ½ cup of juice. Heat and stir just until sugar is dissolved.

3. Cool and add to remainder of juice. Stir in vodka and bitters.

4. Chill in refrigerator overnight or until cold.

5. Prepare in ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s directions. This should take about 20 minutes.

6. Scoop into a container with a tight-fitting lid and place in freezer.

* The vodka will prevent the sorbet from freezing hard. It’s not essential if you’re going to eat it the same day, but otherwise highly recommended. The Campari marries will with the grapefruit flavor, also slows down the hardening and gives the sorbet a lovely pink color.

You can, of course, use unflavored vodka, but I always look for ways to intensify flavor.

Recipes by Phyllis Kirigin http://sweetpaprika.wordpress.com/