Cinco de Mayo Cocktail Hour: The Paloma Cocktail
I must be getting old, because I can't drink margaritas the way I used to. A little like my once beloved Samoas, the fluorescent green frozen concoctions just seem too sweet to me now, and the sugar gives me a headache. But you know how I feel about Mexican food, and when you're eating fiery salsa, you need a drink to temper that heat.
Enter the very grown-up Paloma. It can be a challenge, I think, to find tequila drinks that don't either send you on a sensory flashback to nights in college you'd rather forget or bowl you over with their super sweet concentrated mixers. Here, the fresh grapefruit juice mingles with tequila in a very grown-up way. The fizzy club soda makes this drink extra refreshing and the salted rim makes it even more lip-smackingly delicious. One of my favorite ladies in the world (and a very sophisticated one, I should add) even asked for a refill. Misson accomplished, I'd say.
Paloma Cocktail
Serves 1
The traditional Paloma is made with a grapefruit soda like Jarritos or Squirt. My Paloma, inspired by one I sampled at a Mexican restaurant in Brooklyn, uses fresh grapefruit juice and club soda instead. Also, an interesting word about tequila: resposado (rested) tequila has been aged in oak for at least two months. Silver or blanco tequila is unaged, while "gold" tequila is a young tequila with added colorings and flavorings.
1/4 cup reposado or blanco tequila
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
squeeze of juice from a lime wedge
club soda
kosher salt
Rim a glass with salt. Mix together tequila, grapefruit and lime juices. Pour over ice and top with club soda.
Comments
Mmmm! Happy cinco de mayo- finally a burst of beautiful weather in nyc, perfect for tequila!
Also, I'm happy I'm not the only one who's grown out of once-beloved samoas! Much, much too saccharine. Now it's all about lemon chalet cremes and thin mints :)
Posted by: Sophie | May 5, 2008 3:28 PM
Sophie, It was tragic. I bought a box and thought, "These are not as good as I remember!" Thin mints, on the other hand, I can eat by the fistful.
Happy Cinco de Mayo! I hope you enjoy the sunshine with a drink!
Posted by: Sarah | May 5, 2008 4:02 PM
Hi! I just wanted to say, before anything else, that I really like your blog, so don't get me wrong...
I a from Mexico and this is not a paloma... I guess it's your take, but aybe a change of name, so as to not confuse? it is supposed to be made with grapefruit soda insteadof grapefruit juice, makes it a little sweeter, i think.. but not too much...
Posted by: myrth | May 6, 2008 2:29 AM
Hi Myrth, Yes, the Paloma is traditionally made with grapefruit soda. I decided to try it with grapefruit juice and club soda as a variation. I'll add a note.
Posted by: Sarah | May 6, 2008 7:54 AM
Of course I had to get a raging case of spring bronchitis on one of my top 5 Holidays EVER. I can't even try this sucker out. I love tequila drinks honestly. I'm not a huge drinker but to me tequila is a little like good cognac or bourbon- get the good stuff, learn how to drink it properly solo or mix it with the right stuff and you've just been transported to another world. I used to bartend a million years ago and luckily trained with a guy who really taught me the ins and outs of good drinks and good booze. But now I'm an old lady who falls asleep after a sip of red so alors. Enjoy another Paloma for me!
Posted by: Sara Rose | May 6, 2008 3:42 PM
Oh man! Feel better, Sara Rose!
Posted by: Sarah | May 6, 2008 3:52 PM
Sarah, Very sophisticated, indeed. Do you think--perhaps as a last ditch effort--you might change your mind about margaritas made with tequila, cointreau and lime juice only?
p.s. you're MARVELOUS
Posted by: lukelover | May 6, 2008 5:13 PM
my, lukelover, thank you! i love real margaritas, but i get real margaritas is that i get real drunk, real fast. ;)
Posted by: Sarah | May 7, 2008 7:52 AM
Hey Sarah!
I'm a huge fan of your blog! I've been since '06. I'm Mexican,and I LOOOOVEEE Palomas haha, so I just saw your Paloma cocktail recipe, and it's a really cool version of the real Mexican one, but still I gotta tell ya, traditionally it's made outta tequila, one lemon juice and grapefruit soda...oh well u frost with salt the top of the glass before you serve... and it's done.... basically, pretty easy haha
Posted by: Andrea | May 7, 2008 6:20 PM
This looks tasty - my love for grapefruit runs deep, so I'll definitely have to try this sometime soon! Plus, I totally share your getting older, can't consumer certain beverages anymore woes...oi!
Posted by: geek+nerd | May 8, 2008 8:00 AM
I was so happy to see this post! I spent a year living in Mexico as an exchange student and this was my absolute favorite drink. I have tried to recreate it to no avail, because I could never find Toronja in the states. But I recently spied some Italian grapefruit soda at Trader Joe's so I'll give that a shot and let you know how it goes.
Posted by: mk | May 11, 2008 4:26 PM