In Season: Grapefruit growing season lasts from October through May. Grapefruit keeps well in cold storage, so it can be found in supermarkets year-round.

What to Look For: Grapefruit comes in white, pink, and red varieties. Pink and red grapefruit gets its rosy blush from lycopene, the same antioxidant found in tomatoes. Choose fruit that's heavy for its size, with smooth, rather than bumpy skin. These are good indicators that the grapefruit will be juicy.

How to Store: Grapefruit will keep at room temperature for a week when stored in a bowl or basket with good air circulation. Kept in an airtight bag in the refrigerator's crisper drawer, it can be stored for up to two months.

This colorful main-course salad combines spinach leaves, red grapefruit segments, shrimp, and thinly sliced red onion. The Dijon mustard vinaigrette and the shrimp can be prepared a day in advance so this salad comes together quickly at dinnertime.

Rich poppy seed-raisin cake is balanced by the bracing bite of grapefruit zest and Campari in this sophisticated dessert. In between the cake layers are juicy grapefruit segments and white chocolate mousse flecked with more grapefruit zest.

The traditional mojito cocktail gets a tart update from the addition of grapefruit. Rum is infused with strips of grapefruit zest, and grapefruit segments are mixed with mint syrup, seltzer, and the infused rum.

Grapefruit zest gives butter cookies an aromatic twist. The sweet and tangy filling for these sandwich cookies is made from butter, confectioners' sugar, honey, and Ruby Red grapefruit juice.

The grapefruit halves' light coating of cinnamon and sugar becomes caramelized and fragrant with a trip under the broiler. Serve the grapefruit with a spoonful of low-fat plain yogurt for a healthy and delicious breakfast or brunch.

Toasted sesame seeds form a rich, golden coating for chicken breast halves. The accompanying side dish of napa cabbage is braised in a sauce of grapefruit juice, shallot, white wine, and fresh ginger.

Grapefruit segments are tossed with lemon-tarragon vinaigrette and mounded into avocado halves. Serve this colorful winter salad with a frittata for brunch, or with tuna or chicken salad sandwiches for an elegant lunch.

The bittersweet combination of fresh grapefruit juice and Campari is lightened with club soda and sweetened with a splash of simple syrup. These cocktails can be made in large batches, making them perfect for a party.

A generous sprinkling of pepper spices this winter salad of sliced grapefruit, mixed greens, and fresh goat cheese. The light vinaigrette of grapefruit zest, white wine vinegar, and a touch of olive oil complements the salad without overpowering it.

Grapefruit becomes candied and sweet when baked with butter and brown sugar underneath a layer of cake. Cinnamon, ginger, and allspice add a warm and spicy bite to the cake, pairing deliciously with the candied grapefruit topping.

Grapefruit juice, grapefruit zest, and lemon juice are sweetened with simple syrup to make this refreshing sorbet. The addition of freshly ground black pepper gives an extra kick.

Bittersweet grapefruit and buttery avocado play off each other in this winter salad. Peppery watercress and a light vinaigrette provide a lively background.

Sea scallops or sushi-grade yellowtail marinate in a mixture of red onion, serrano chile, Ruby Red grapefruit, lime juice, and lots of fresh mint. Serve this colorful and refreshing seviche as a cocktail party hors d'oeuvre or an elegant dinner party appetizer.

Fresh grapefruit juice and zest, fresh ginger, and Greek yogurt add a pleasant zing to these individual-size souffles. Sugar and egg yolks tame the tartness of the grapefruit, creating a balanced and sophisticated dessert.

Freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice is sweetened with honey and infused with the warm flavors of cinnamon and allspice. Enjoy this noncaffeinated tea before bed, to soothe a cold, or serve as an invigorating alternative to spiced apple cider.

This risotto is infused with layers of grapefruit flavor. First, the rice is cooked in a mixture of white wine, chicken stock, and grapefruit juice, and then grapefruit segments and blanched grapefruit zest are stirred in at the end of cooking. The richness of Parmesan cheese and caramelized red onion balance the tartness of the grapefruit.

This elegant alternative to store-bought dessert combines freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice with sugar and unflavored gelatin. Prepare this light dessert a day ahead so it has enough time to set in the refrigerator.

The boldly flavored combination of watercress, grapefruit segments, and green olives is tossed in garlicky vinaigrette. A topping of crisp fried sage leaves is a memorable alternative to croutons.

Zabaglione is a rich dessert made of sweetened egg yolks whisked over a hot water bath. This version uses honey and is made even fluffier with the addition of whipped cream. A bed of red grapefruit segments makes a refreshing contrast with the rich zabaglione topping.

Oven-crisped wedges of flour tortilla are topped with mashed avocado and grapefruit wedges to create a colorful appetizer. Yellow bell pepper and thin rounds of jalapeno add a crisp bite.

Freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, mint leaves, sugar, and lemon juice make a marvelously refreshing dessert or intermezzo. No ice cream maker is required to whip up this granita -- simply freeze and then pulse in the food processor until slushy.

The pastry cream filling of this puff pastry tart is infused with vanilla bean and tarragon. Segments of pink and white grapefruit make a colorful topping, and a border of leaves cut from puff pastry creates a decorative finish in this sophisticated dessert.

These grapefruit mimosas are brunch salad and cocktail in one. Segments of red and white grapefruit, navel oranges, and blood oranges are arranged in candied grapefruit bowls and topped with Champagne.

Grapefruit, orange, and lemons make a tangy marmalade. The fruit and pith are strained out of the marmalade, giving it a texture like jelly, with some thin ribbons of citrus zest mixed in.

This homemade gelatin dessert features the grown-up flavors of pink grapefruit juice and Campari. Orange segments suspended in the gelatin add texture, and optional pink peppercorns give the dessert an intriguing touch of heat.

Ruby-red grapefruit juice and mint leaves make this vinaigrette fresh and tangy. Use it as a dressing for green salads or as a marinade for fish.

These pretty nonalcoholic drinks will be a hit with kids and adults alike. Pink grapefruit juice is blended with ice cubes until slushy, and poured into sugar-rimmed cocktail glasses over a layer of grenadine.

Grapefruit, orange, and lemon peels are blanched in boiling water, simmered in sugar syrup, and then finished with a sugar coating. Dip the candied citrus peels in chocolate and give as gifts, or mix into scone dough or muffin batter.

The sweet sparkling Italian wine Moscato d'Asti is poured into glasses, each containing a sugar cube and a ruby-red grapefruit segment. Serve this elegant drink as a prelude to dessert or as a spirited start to a holiday brunch.