Paloma (Improved)

2 oz Reposado Tequila
1 oz Grapefruit syrup (see notes for recipe)
1⁄2 oz Lime juice
1 pn Salt
2 ds Grapefruit bitters
2 oz Club soda
Instructions

Shake, Collins glass with cracked ice, top off with club soda, garnish with lime slice or shell of spent lime.

Notes

Homemade grapefruit syrup recipe: 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, zest and juice of 1 grapefruit (discard the pith and pulp), optionally add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon. Bring to a boil, then take off the stove and let steep 1 hour, strain through cheesecloth and bottle. Optionally add 2 tsp vodka as a preservative. Keep in refrigerator.

History

The Paloma is traditionally made with commercially-available grapefruit soda pop. This recipe replaces soda pop with homemade grapefruit syrup and dashes of bitters.

Cocktail summary
Posted by JesseB on
Created by
According to Dave Stolte, the Paloma originated in Mexico, probably some time in the 1920s.
Is an
altered recipe
Reference

See http://www.homebarbasics.com/la-paloma/ for history and notes about the soda pop version of the Paloma.

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  • make grapefruit syrup with much less sugar
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Comments

The grapefruit syrup seems to overpower the drink with sweetness. I modified the recipe: zest of one grapefruit, juice of two grapefruits, divided, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp citric acid. Simmer zest, 1/2 of grapefruit juice, water, citric acid and sugar for 15 minutes. Let cool, add the remainder of the grapefruit juice. Chill.

I have seen this called Grapefruit Cordial.

Paloma:  2 oz. silver tequila, 2 oz grapefruit cordial (above) 1 oz. Cointreau. Shake with ice, pour into a coup, top with Proseco or Champagne, garnish with an orange twist.