Paloma Cocktail - The Definitive Recipe

Fill your chosen glass with ice, ideally using a dry scoop that allows the water to escape through the holes, allowing only dry ice to be poured into the glass.

Squeeze 1/2 OZ (15 ml) of lime with a manual juicer and pour directly into the jigger (to check the exact amount of juice) and then into the glass.

Measure and pour 1 3/4 OZ (50 ml) of tequila into the glass with the jigger.

Add a pinch of salt.

Pour 3 1/3 OZ (100 ml) of pink grapefruit soda straight into the glass.

Gently emulsify (so as not to lose the bubbles in the soda) the ingredients by swirling the barspoon around the sides of the glass.

With the help of fruit tweezers, garnish the cocktail with a slice of lime and it's ready to be served.

History

Although the paternity of the drink is attributed to Don Javier Delgado Corona (famous for having created the batanga, another typical Mexican cocktail; owner of the La Capilla bar in the city of Tequila, in the Jalisco region), he has repeatedly denied being the inventor.

What is certain is that in 1955 in Mexico they began to market a series of products including grapefruit soda to be used in long tequila-based cocktails. Subsequently, the recipe of what we know as paloma begins to appear in various books and menus, even if it is mentioned under different names.

Curiosity

For a perfect paloma cocktail always choose a 100% agave tequila because it is softer, with hints of fruit and flowers, certainly more satisfying on the palate than inferior products. If you can't find good quality grapefruit soda, add freshly squeezed juice to soda.

Variants

There are no real twists to this cocktail, but you can always experiment by substituting one of the ingredients and creating new combinations. If you prefer tequila vodka, you can opt for a vodka-based palomita. Or you can try a lone ranger: grapefruit soda is replaced with a dry brut rosé, lemon juice takes the place of lime in addition to sugar syrup to balance the acidity.