The Paloma (Spanish for ‘dove’) is the national cocktail of Mexico and has recently risen to be one of the most popular tequila cocktails, thanks to the ease with which it can be created and its refreshing flavour profile.
What you need
- 60ml El Tequileño Blanco Tequila
- 25ml grapefruit soda or juice - if you are looking to go authentic - grapefruit soda is the traditional choice in Mexico
- Half a lime (juiced)
- Pink or red grapefruit wedge
- Pinch of salt
- Ice
- Highball or Rocks glass
Method
- Fill Highball with ice.
- Juice half a lime.
- Add the lime juice, tequila, salt* and grapefruit soda or juice.
- Add a wedge of grapefruit to garnish
- Stir and enjoy!
*Alternatively some like to enjoy the Paloma with a salted rim, versus adding it directly to the cocktail. To achieve this, rub the rim of your glass with a grapefruit wedge and rotate it on a small plate of salt.
Paloma History
The Paloma’s history dates back to around 1950 when an American grapefruit soda called Squirt was advertised being served with tequila.
However, it wasn’t until the 90s that the Paloma took its classic form. In Jalisco, it picked up the addition of lime juice and salt and started to become the signature drink of many bars. It eventually reached a tourist hotspot, Tlaquepaque. Shortly after, it was popping up under the name Paloma in Southern California.
From there, it’s spread across the world and seen various tweaks, such as replacing grapefruit soda with grapefruit juice. For the cocktail purists, the original will always be treasured.
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