Grapefruit Margaritas

It's been one of those weeks. We've all had them at one point or another. Tuesday feels like Wednesday and Wednesday feels like Thursday and somehow the week still isn't over yet. While the days often seem to skate by quickly, spinning circles around me before I have the chance to catch my breath, this week has come to a jarring halt. The hand on the clock moves so slowly between my frequent glances that I periodically wonder if the hands have stopped moving altogether. I keep asking myself, is it Friday yet?

If only time moved so slowly on the weekends...

I have never been much for alcoholic beverages, but I do make an exception for the occasional glass of red wine or salt-rimmed margarita. While a glass of wine nicely rounds out a weekend evening, I have always reserved margaritas for more festive occasions. Margaritas tend to pop up on hot summer evenings when the dinner party guests have been fed or when the glasses are clinked to celebrate another Fourth of July. The best margarita I ever had was savored after a long day of skiing in the mountains—blended, with lime.

Margaritas have an intrinsic sense of community built into their nature; they are meant to be enjoyed among friends.

Though there were no holidays to celebrate or gatherings to toast, these margaritas made an appearance to bring a spot of joy into an otherwise simple evening with my family. With snow on the ground and flurries falling from the skies, I felt as if the classic lime version could use a seasonal update. Grapefruit has quickly become a fruit that I identify with cold weather. Not only is it in season, but the tartness of the citrus so effortlessly mimics the quality of a biting winter wind. The lime only furthers this quality, which gives the margaritas a bright, vibrant character.

And so I raise my glass to you, dear friends, thankful that tomorrow the weekend finally begins.

Grapefruit Margaritas are a welcome drink after a long work week. Freshly squeezed grapefruit and lime juice are joined by tequila and triple sec to create this unique beverage. The margaritas are quite tart (which I adore), but a teaspoon of sugar may be added to each drink to tone it down for those of you who are not so keen on such a biting flavor. Instead of salt-rimmed glasses, I rimmed these with sugar to bring out a bit of sweetness whenever you decide that you may need it.

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Bruléed Grapefruit

Simple pleasures bring small bursts of happiness into my life. So often I see people wait for happiness to come to them, to rush in and bring them bursts of joy. While happiness may sometimes sweep in like a wave crashing on the beach, more often than not I watch people sitting on the shore, dipping their toes into the water and wishing for more. I have found myself on that very same beach before, waiting for life to bring me something I could not find on my own. Instead of bringing what you desire, the waiting takes it from you, drawing it out to sea and leaving you in its wake, washed up on the shore.

Eventually, I could not wait anymore. Happiness, it seems, was something I'd have to make for myself.

It is not hard to find happiness in your own life, but some moments you may have to dig a little deeper to find it. I try to find my joy in the small pleasures of everyday life, to build happiness between the beams in the structure of my life. I wear fuzzy socks and lounge on the couch because it makes me feel content. I light candles at night and enjoy the flames dancing around a dark room because I deserve to see beauty. I buy rusted spoons and thrift store plates because these simple items bring me a silly amount of joy. I buy the expensive dairy-free butter because I finally decided I am worth the cost.

I eat chocolate every single day (and I will never apologize for it).

These small moments bring me happiness. I had to find happiness on my own terms, to remind myself that happiness surrounds me, to open my eyes to the world around me. I had to stop wishing and take action. When I feel myself crossing the sands back to the beach, I go to the gym and take my emotions out on the elliptical machine. I knead my frustration into bread dough and bake it into something delicious. Happiness in a conscious decision.

Where do you find the happiness in your life?

Bruléed Grapefruit is one of my simple, joyful pleasures. I like to enjoy one for a sweet breakfast or a bright afternoon snack. A grapefruit is sliced in half, sprinkled with spices and brown sugar, and broiled until the sugar melts into a sweet syrup. A dash of cinnamon and cloves brings a unique warmth to the tart grapefruit, which I find quite welcoming. Whether you serve one or two, Bruléed Grapefruit is a warm treat that adds a spark of energy to the quiet citrus fruit.

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Grapefruit Soda... or Cocktail?

Grapefruit was a "new food" discovery for me this year. It's truly a shame I've gone twenty-three years of my life without enjoying the tartness of a ripe grapefruit, but at least this matter has been remedied. Now I can't leave the grocery store without a few of these in tow. I can often be spotted in the kitchen with a small spoon in hand, digging into a grapefruit, and spraying juice on everything in a two foot vicinity.

No one warned me I'd need to shower after breakfast.

Invariably, when you eat enough grapefruits, the wheels begin spinning on what you can create with them (or maybe that's just me). When the idea to make grapefruit soda popped into my head, I actually thought it was an original idea. A true inspiration sent down from the grapefruit gods. After excitedly going on about it to my boyfriend, he casually pointed out that grapefruit soda has existed since the dawn of soda's time.

Apparently I'm not as well versed in soda as I thought.

Despite this disheartening news, I set out to make my own version of grapefruit soda regardless. Using the juice from a couple grapefruits and a lemon, I combined it with lemon-lime soda to add fizz and balance out the tartness of the citrus. Oh, is it dreamy. After a long day at work, I added a shot of vodka to the mix and it turned the simple grapefruit soda into a fun cocktail.

It's light, just tart, and lip-smackingly refreshing.

This grapefruit soda is simple to make, but produces a result that outshines anything from a can. The grapefruit flavor is lovely and pronounced, with the lemon to add just the right zing. It can be kept as a soda to share with children during sunny afternoons or made into a brilliant cocktail to enjoy as the sun begins to set. Garnish with lemon slices and ice for a drink that tastes of a cool breeze.

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