Okay, guys, let’s talk about how I finally nailed that Paloma drink I’ve been messing with. It’s been a bit of a journey, but I think I’ve got it down now.
So, I started out, like anyone else, grabbing some tequila. I’m not picky, just whatever’s on hand. The real star of the show’s supposed to be the grapefruit, so I grabbed a couple of those, figured fresh juice is always better, right? I also picked up some limes, ’cause you gotta have that tartness to balance things out.
First thing I did was juice those grapefruits and limes. I used one of those hand-held juicers, the ones you gotta twist. Got a decent amount of juice, enough for a few drinks at least. I also grabbed some simple syrup I made earlier. It’s just sugar and water, boiled down till it’s, well, a syrup. Easy peasy.
Next, I got a bit fancy. I like a salted rim on my margaritas, so I figured, why not try it here? I poured some kosher salt onto a plate, rubbed a grapefruit wedge around the rim of my glass, and then dipped it in the salt. Looked pretty good, I gotta say.
- Then came the mixing. I poured in about two shots of tequila into the glass, maybe a bit more, I like mine strong.
- Added in a good amount of that fresh grapefruit juice, maybe about four ounces, give or take.
- Then a splash of lime juice, just enough to give it a kick.
- Finally, I topped it off with a bit of simple syrup and some soda water.
The Taste Test
I gave it a good stir, took a sip, and… yeah, that’s it. That’s the Paloma I was aiming for. It’s refreshing, it’s tart, it’s got that nice tequila bite, and the salt on the rim just brings it all together. I even tried a version with a little chili powder mixed into the salt for an extra kick, and damn, that was good too.
So, yeah, that’s my Paloma story. It took a few tries, a bit of experimenting, but I think I’ve finally cracked the code. If you’re into tequila and looking for something a bit different than your usual margarita, give it a shot. It’s definitely worth the effort.
I spent a whole afternoon trying to get this right. It was a messy process, juice everywhere, sticky countertops, but hey, it was all worth it in the end. I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out, and I’ve been enjoying Palomas all week now. Cheers!
