I know I posted about citrus sorbet within the last month, but this is really the time for it. How better to bring an infusion of sunshine into this season of overheated rooms and grey skies? (For those of us on the East coast, I mean.) I have been working so hard, writing so much, that my forearms are sore. Today I ventured out to the screened-in porch to jump rope for half an hour. It was therapeutic but so cold I could barely break a sweat. Can't wait for the local yoga teacher to return from vacation. I need to get back into my practice. With our trip to Turks and Caicos looming on the horizon, I shudder at the thought of pouring my lumpy white carcass into one of my many overpriced Eres bathing suits. But let me dispel that image with thoughts of icy refreshment, a blast of tart grapefruit tingling with ginger and spiked with mint.

If you don't have an ice cream maker, this may just push you into getting one. Then you can make this orange ice cream, or the irresistible coconut lime sorbet that I will be posting later this week, or this cardamom ice cream. Otherwise you'll just have to read it and weep. Ice cream and sorbet are not an everyday affair, it's true, but it is nice to make your own for special occasions (like Wednesday nights). If you're in the market for a maker, I suggest you consult this page to see what the experts recommend.PINK GRAPEFRUIT SORBETserves 61 ½ cups sugar1 ¾ cups water1 tablespoon grated grapefruit zest1 ¼ cups freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice¼ cup lemon or lime juice1 tablespoon grated gingerhandful mint leavesCombine sugar, zest and water in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once sugar has dissolved. Add the grapefruit juice, lemon/lime juice and ginger. Lightly bruise mint leaves and add.Transfer mix to a bowl to cool, then chill in refrigerator until completely cold.Strain to remove mint, etc. Freeze in ice cream maker. You might want to return this to the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up. If you still don't have an ice cream maker, this also works great in popsicle molds.