Love a good paloma? Me, too. The paloma is a delightfully fizzy grapefruit, lime and tequila cocktail hailing from Mexico. If you enjoy a Greyhound, grapefruit margarita or ranch water, this cooling drink is right up your alley.

South of the border, palomas are typically made with grapefruit soda like Squirt or Jarritos, which taste similar to Sprite to me. Up here, bartenders often mix them with fresh grapefruit juice and sparkling water instead. I prefer mine to be less sweet and more citrusy, so I love the made-from-scratch option.

This paloma recipe is made from scratch with basic ingredients. You’ll need tequila, fresh grapefruit and lime, simple syrup (which is very easy to make), and Topo Chico or sparkling water. Make them at home with top-shelf tequila and you’ll enjoy a better paloma for less money than you’d pay a restaurant.

To make this paloma, we’ll shake everything but the Topo Chico in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shaking the ingredients together yields the kind of paloma you’d receive at a fancy cocktail bar. It’s a brief step that is worth the extra effort.

Finally, we’ll pour the mixture into a glass filled with ice and top it with Topo Chico to retain all those glorious bubbles. You can watch how it all comes together in the brief video below.

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Have you ever heard of a French Blond cocktail? Me neither, until last week! I read that it’s Taylor Swift’s favorite cocktail after she recently requested it at a local Kansas City restaurant called Rye. Once I saw the ingredients—grapefruit, gin, Lillet and elderflower, I knew I had to try it. It’s fantastic. The cocktail is well-balanced, citrusy and floral, not too strong and not too sweet.

I’m generally completely oblivious to both pop culture and football, to the point that when my husband came home from a charity event last year and told me he was on a team with Travis Kelce, I said, “Who is that?” But the funniest thing has happened now that Taylor is dating Travis. Suddenly, I’m fascinated by a couple I’ve never met, I’m paying attention to football, and I’m wondering, who am I? Am I a Swiftie now?

Maybe it’s the sheer proximity of it all, like I’ve been to Rye, where Taylor Swift supposedly ordered this cocktail! My friend’s mom saw Travis at the Apple Store the other day! My husband said that Travis was friendly and great with kids, and the only rumor I’ve heard about Taylor is that she is indeed very nice. Maybe it’s because they seem like a great match, so they remind me of when my husband and I started dating.

Maybe it’s because I, like all of Taylor’s fans, imagine that maybe we could be friends if we met in real life. How crazy is that? Taylor, we have cold Lillet in the fridge if you guys want to come by for a cocktail. Now I’ve really lost my mind. Anyway, go Chiefs!

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A little birdie named Google told me that the Super Bowl is coming up. I don’t know who’s playing, but I do know what I’m bringing to the party—this bright, colorful, super fresh, seafood-free ceviche.

Little wedges of juicy grapefruit and orange are remarkably similar to raw seafood in texture and color. Citrus combined with perfectly ripe diced avocado makes a cheerful party appetizer or dip. It’s healthy, too, and lighter than my favorite guacamole recipe.

This “ceviche” is made entirely with fresh produce, so use the best grapefruit, oranges and avocados you can find. Fortunately, it’s citrus season, so you shouldn’t have to look far to find sweet, juicy citrus. Pick avocados that yield a bit to a gentle squeeze, but don’t have any mushy parts.

You’re working with fresh produce that can vary a lot in size, so use your best judgement at the store and adjust the final product to taste. I don’t always love grapefruit, but it’s balanced here by rich avocado and sweet orange. If the final result tastes a little too bitter, add another pinch or two of salt, since salt helps cut bitterness.

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I am so excited about the change in seasons. It’s warm outside! Daylight savings is back! Light is streaming through my windows and I’m having so much fun capturing the rays and shadows in photos. I thought we could celebrate with some sweet and spicy margaritas. I know, I know, I was just going on about detoxing, but grapefruit is in season and it’s bursting with vitamin C, so that counts for something, right? Right.

When we were in Austin, I found grapefruits on special at HEB (six for a dollar!), which kick-started my grapefruit cocktail streak. Grapefruit, while not my favorite of the citrus family, is fantastic in cocktails. It really cuts the taste of alcohol and plays nicely with tequila, gin, vodka and whiskey.

I’m evidently on a mission to post every fruity margarita possible, so here we are with spicy grapefruit margaritas. This margarita recipe isn’t too far off from my classic paloma recipe, but it’s delicious in its own right. I muddled a tiny slice of jalapeño in my margaritas for some kick and mixed some chili powder into the salt mixture that goes around the rim.

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Quick! Name this cocktail. I’m at a loss for what to call it. It’s not quite a sparkler, fizz or smash. It’s also not a daiquiri, which is made with rum, or a bee’s knees, although it’s close (this little pink number is made with vodka instead of gin). It doesn’t qualify as a martini, either, and let’s definitely not throw -tini on the end, which we all know is code for syrupy sweet, girly drinks.

Maybe I should pause to tell you what this drink is, precisely. It is composed of freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice, vodka, a splash of lemon, a sprig of rosemary and just enough honey simple syrup to make it irresistible. It is: fresh, pretty and pink, but not so sweet that a dude would refuse it. A gussied-up version of my rosemary gin fizz. Light and refreshing but packs a punch, which makes it perfect for the holiday season.

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Yesterday was a painfully cold day, with winds that rushed through every little gap in my clothing and chilled my core. I pulled my coat tight and cursed winter, shouting to my companion that I have had enough of it already. On the bright side, however, it was also a notably sunny day. Not a cloud in sight. I took advantage of the warm afternoon light to photograph these broiled grapefruit beauties while Cookie napped in front of the space heater.

Grapefruit, when broiled with a sprinkling of sugar, caramelizes and complements its inherent bittersweet flavors. Though this cooking method is as simple as can be, the broiled grapefruit would make quite an impression at brunch, served warm and radiantly pink. Don’t limit the preparation to special occasions, though; broiled grapefruit could brighten any bleary, wintery day. I turned mine into a more substantial meal in itself by adding a side of honey-sweetened goat yogurt and a handful of gingerbread granola (recipe forthcoming). I recommend it. Stay warm, friends!

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