Tequila, lime juice and grapefruit soda, plus a pinch of salt: these are the simple ingredients of Paloma, a classic cocktail much loved in Mexico. Officially referred to as an 'aperitif', but just by dosing the quantities of tequila, it is perfect at any time of day, resulting in a lighter, thirst-quenching afternoon drink or a more intense, higher-alcohol drink.
The origins of the Paloma, like those of many other cocktails, tend to be lost in legend. The only certainty is that this drink undoubtedly comes from the homeland of tequila and large grapefruit crops, namely Mexico.
It is said that the Paloma - which means 'dove' in Spanish - was invented by the legendary Don Javier Delgado Corona, owner and bartender of La Capilla, in Tequila, as well as inventor of the Batanga, but he himself has reportedly denied this several times. Certainly Don Delgado did a lot to popularise the Paloma in his bar, where he used to mix it with the same knife he used to cut the fruit, to give the drink greater aromaticity.
From Mexico, the Paloma is said to have first landed in the United States by bartender Evan Harrison, who included it in his 'Popular Cocktails of the Rio Grande' drink list. Its popularity has spread to the point that since 2019 there is also a Paloma Day, celebrated every 22 May.
Fresh and fruity, the Paloma involves the addition of a pinch of salt, which theoretically would be optional, but is a very important element in binding the tequila to the lime juice. The salt should be added by dissolving it in the lime juice, directly in the glass, because it enhances the flavour and mitigates the intensity of the bitter taste.
Depending on the shade one wants to give the Paloma, the pink grapefruit soda, which gives a more delicate and aromatic taste, can be replaced by the yellow grapefruit soda, which is more bitter and citric.
For an aromatic touch, a sprig of rosemary can be added at the end of the preparation and gently stirred in.
50 ml Tequila 100% Agave
10 ml fresh lime juice
1 pinch of salt
20 ml grapefruit juice (pink or yellow)
Top grapefruit soda
Pour the tequila and lime juice
into a highball glass with ice; Add a pinch of salt;
Top with the pink grapefruit
soda and stir gently; Decorate with a lime wedge.
Distillates have different alcoholpercentages. So, we have defined a parameter allowing you to better understand and compare different prices. This parameter is calculated by dividing the bottle price by the alcohol content. The alcohol content (or strength) is the amount of pure alcohol (ethanol) contained in the distillate.
This parameter indicates the price of a single 4cl dosage of distillate. It is calculated by dividing the price of the bottle by its quantity (expressed in cl), then multiplying by the centilitres of the recommended single dose, as average in cocktail recipes.
