Paloma
A fresh, salty-tart tequila cocktail with grapefruit soda: Mexico's answer to the perfect summer drink.
Ingredients
- Blanco tequila60 ml
- Grapefruit soda, Jarritos Toronja, Squirt or another grapefruit soda90 ml
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed15 ml
- Salt, for the rim (optional)1 pinch
- Lime, to garnish (optional)1 wedge
Method
- Moisten the rim of a highball glass with lime juice and turn it in coarse salt, if you want a salt rim.
- Fill the glass with ice cubes.
- Pour the tequila and lime juice straight into the glass.
- Stir briefly to combine.
- Top up with grapefruit soda and stir gently again.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and serve at once.
About this drink
Paloma means 'dove' in Spanish, and by many accounts it is the most popular tequila cocktail in Mexico, more of an everyday drink than the Margarita. The classic version, this one, is built on grapefruit soda and fresh lime; a fresher, modern take swaps the soda for pressed grapefruit juice and soda water. A salt rim plays beautifully against the sweetness of the agave and the acidity of the citrus.
Questions and answers
What is Mexico's most popular tequila drink?
The Paloma, which in Mexico itself outsells even the Margarita. The simple pairing of tequila, lime and grapefruit soda (Jarritos Toronja, for example) is lighter and more everyday than the better-known classic.
Should a Paloma have a salt rim?
It is optional, but it lifts the grapefruit's acidity nicely. Try it with, try it without, and find your own preference.
