Nature gives us a bounty of citrus fruits at this time of year for a reason: there’s nothing more invigorating to winter palates than biting into a Clementine slice or squeezing a bright burst of lemon juice over grilled fish or meat. Lately, I’ve felt particularly energized by the sweet-tart hit of grapefruit as an ingredient in my cooking… and its beautiful shade of coral is certainly a feast for the eyes. Just as grapefruit has its own bitter edge, I love balancing its pink-y hue with darker, moodier shades that keep it from moving into overly-saccharine territory. As inspiration for a dinner party, a rustic wood table set with tangerine napkins and a humble mason jar full of peonies, ranunculus and poppies feels just right. Start the meal with a pomegranate-studded winter citrus salad, and end it with these bruléed grapefruit, caramelized with burnt raw sugar.
*images: {row 1} not without salt, parker fitzgerald for kinfolk, pretty plain janes {row 2} martha stewart living, la dolce vita studio via 100 layer cake, sarah windward {row 3} david meredith for martha stewart living, chaunté vaughn, williams-sonoma {row 4} sharyn cairns for country style au, fryd + design, marcus nilsson for bon appetit.
