Combine sugar, 1½ tablespoons water, and reserved grapefruit juice in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in crème de cassis. Drizzle syrup over grapefruit. Chill at least 2 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
Garnish with mint, if desired, and serve.Technique Tip: Segmenting GrapefruitFor visual appeal and best flavor, it’s important to cut away the membranes and bitter white pith of the grapefruit. Segmenting a grapefruit is no different than segmenting an orange; all you need is a small sharp knife to cut away the peel and white pith, then cut between the membranes to release the segments. For more information, see page 35.
Melon balls are playful components of this fruity dessert. For an even easier alternative, cut the melon into cubes. Whole star anise—a brown, star-shaped seedpod—adds a licorice flavor to the syrup; it is available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at Asian markets and specialty foods stores. You can make the syrup a day ahead; however, add the fruit no more than eight hours in advance to prevent it from becoming soggy. 8 servings
2 large oranges
2 cups water
⅓ cup honey
4 large whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 4-pound honeydew melon, halved, seeded
3 large nectarines (about 1 pound), halved, pitted, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
1½ 1-pint containers strawberries, hulled, quarteredAdditional orange peel strips (optional)
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from oranges. Set peel aside (reserve oranges for another use).
Combine 2 cups water, honey, star anise, and cinnamon stick in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve honey. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until liquid is reduced to 1½ cups, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in reserved orange peel. Cool syrup. Strain into large bowl; discard solids in strainer.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Using melon baller, scoop out enough fruit from melon to equal 4 cups. Combine melon balls, nectarines, and strawberries in large bowl. Add syrup; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 5 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
Ladle fruit mixture into bowls. Garnish with additional orange peel strips, if desired.
Use a combination of red and yellow seedless watermelon for the most colorful presentation. Store-bought butter cookies or brownies make a great accompaniment. 8 servings
1 8-pound watermelon, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 16 cups)
1 cup fresh lemon juice
⅔ cup sugar
½ cup vodka
6 tablespoons crème de cassis (black currant liqueur)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
Place watermelon in large bowl. Whisk lemon juice and sugar in medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Whisk in vodka and crème de cassis. Season mixture to taste with salt. Pour mixture over watermelon. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. Sprinkle with chopped mint and serve.
Fruits of the SeasonsEvery fruit is most flavorful at the peak of its season, and when a fruit is more abundant it’s also less expensive. Selecting locally grown seasonal fruit is even better: Since it doesn’t need to travel far, it can be picked as close to ripeness as possible, allowing it to develop fuller flavor. What’s at its peak each season?SPRING: rhubarb (although technically a vegetable, it’s used in many fruit desserts) and strawberriesSUMMER: apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, figs, melons, nectarines, peaches, plums, and raspberriesFALL: apples, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, and quincesWINTER: cranberries and citrus fruits, including kumquats, Meyer lemons, blood oranges, and tangerines
The different colors of the melons—red, orange, and pale green—dotted with purple blueberries, mint, and flecks of vanilla make a festive and refreshing finale to a summer meal. The wine syrup brings out the aromas of the melons and marries all the flavors. Serve your favorite sugar cookies alongside. 6 servings
1½ cups dry white wine, divided
½ cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2⅓ cups cantaloupe cubes (about ⅓ small melon)
2⅓ cups honeydew cubes (about ⅓ small melon)
2⅓ cups watermelon cubes (about ¼ small melon)
3 cups fresh blueberries
½ cup chopped fresh mint
Combine ½ cup wine and sugar in small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and syrup is hot, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes. Remove vanilla bean.
Combine all fruit in large bowl. Add mint and remaining 1 cup wine to sugar syrup. Pour over fruit. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
Spoon fruit and some syrup into large stemmed goblets and serve.Presentation Tip:Glass coupe dishes—wide, deep dessert bowls with stems—make ideal pedestals for the fruit, but any pretty, see-through bowls will lend the same effect.
This simple yet sophisticated dessert would be perfect after a Middle Eastern dinner. Thick, sweet-tart pomegranate molasses is delicious drizzled over citrus fruit (as here) or over goat cheese sprinkled with herbs, and it also adds brightness when whisked into meat marinades. Pomegranate molasses is available at many supermarkets, Middle Eastern markets, and specialty food stores. 8 to 10 servings
8 large navel oranges (preferably Cara Cara), all peel and white pith cut away, oranges sliced into thin rounds
¼ cup floral honey (such as tupelo or orange blossom)
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
8 large Medjool dates, pitted, chopped
Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, on large rimmed platter. Whisk honey, pomegranate molasses, cinnamon, and sea salt in small bowl to blend; drizzle evenly over oranges. Sprinkle oranges evenly with chopped dates.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Keeping Cool with Summer FruitsSummer fruits hit the spot for cool and easy desserts that don’t require using the oven.Macerate fruit to infuse flavor. Macerating is simply marinating fruit in sugar syrup flavored with wine, liqueur, fresh herbs, citrus, or spices. Serve the fruit with the syrup and some cookies, or layer with pound cake and whipped cream in parfait glasses.Freeze summer fruit to enjoy in smoothies and shakes. Pit, peel, and stem fruits, then cut into large chunks. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, store them in freezer bags or containers.Grill fruit while the coals are still hot in the barbecue. Wipe the grill clean with a wet cloth before grilling fruit. Grill until the fruit is heated through and marks form—just a couple of minutes per side. Serve with ice cream, yogurt, mascarpone cheese, or your favorite dessert sauce.