Combining grapefruit, tequila, lime, and a salted rim, the Paloma resembles a margarita, but with the added fizz of club soda or grapefruit soda.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces reposado tequila
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed pink or ruby red grapefruit juice
- 1 ounce Giffard Creme de Pamplemousse Rose
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces Spindrift Sparkling Grapefruit Juice or club soda
- 2 slices lime (for garnish and salting your rim)
- salt (for salting your rim)
Directions:
If you're adding a salted rim: With a paring knife, slice into the pulp of your lime wedge, being careful not to slice through the skin. Use the cut in the lime wedge to evenly wet the entire rim of a pint glass with its juice. Dip the wet rim of your pint glass into the salt. Shake off excess.
Carefully add the tequila, grapefruit and lime juices, and grapefruit liqueur to your glass.
Fill the glass with ice, then top with the grapefruit soda or club soda.
Garnish with a lime wedge. If you skipped the salted rim, consider adding a straw for sipping.
Notes:
I tend to play with my Paloma ingredients depending on what's in the fridge (and in my liquor cabinet). Currently, my favorite way to mix it up is adding some Giffard Creme de Pamplemousse Rose - which is a very fancy way of saying grapefruit liqueur. It adds deep grapefruit flavor and a sweetness that allows me to omit additional simple syrup. The drink gets topped off with with Spindrift Sparkling Grapefruit Soda to add fizz - and even more grapefruit taste!
I never make a Paloma without a salted rim. If it's your thing, feel free to add some more flare by using a specialty salt. I used black Hawaiian lava salt that my sister gifted me for Christmas but you could also use pink Hawaiian sea salt, or a pepper-infused salt to add some heat! If you're not into either, you can't go wrong with kosher salt.
