Grapefruit

Clean-tasting, juicy and stimulating and available all year, grapefruit are a delight during the winter months when good supplies come from Florida and Israel.

With the exception of making them into marmalade, they are best uncooked, though you can try grilling them for that retro dinner party menu. The pink-fleshed varieties (Ruby, Ruby Red and Thompson) tend to taste sweeter and certainly look attractive in a fruit salad. Citrus plant breeders have tried to eliminate the pips but, as far as yellow grapefruit go, pips seem to be the price you pay for the best flavour.

A more fruitful idea has been the crossing of grapefruit and tangerine, which has produced the pear-shaped and ultra-juicy Minneola.