Way back when, long before svelte supermodels made it chic to do so, relatives of mine would make their annual winter pilgrimage to sunny Miami Florida for relaxation and, God willing, a bit of a schvitz. A week later we’d greet a deeply bronzed Uncle Myron and Aunt Sophie at the airport, and they’d invariably be schlepping mesh nylon sacks bulging with yellow-skinned grapefruits, a bit of sunshine for those of us without the chutzpah to escape the dreary Northeast winter. Nowadays grapefruits are everywhere, but they’re at their best during the dead of winter. Choose fruits that are heavy for their size, with ends that are a bit flat, an indication they’ll be juicy and sweet.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1 quart (1 liter)

　　1 1/3 cups (330 ml) Champagne or sparkling wine

　　1 cup (100 g) sugar

　　2 1/2 cups (625 ml) freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice (from about 3 grapefruits)

　　

Step 1

In a medium, nonreactive saucepan, heat about half of the Champagne with the sugar, stirring frequently, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining Champagne and the grapefruit juice.

　　

Step 2

Chill the mixture thoroughly, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

　　

Perfect Pairing

Step 3

Although lots of other fruit granitas go well with Pink Grapefruit–Champagne Sorbet, Raspberry Granita (page 157) makes the most stunning complement.

　　The Perfect Scoop