Have a rich and tangy thirst-quelling experience when you sip on the Blood-Orange Paloma.
Today might’ve been the last perfect day this summer.
It was well over 80 degrees outside. The sun was hot, the sky was a picturesque blue, with fluffy clouds floating here and there. The pool was just as warm, and as you jumped in, the water felt brisk, cooling. It was a little before lunchtime as my nephews and myself splashed around, then they went in and I remained, taking long and languid laps for another 30 minutes or so.
Tomorrow it’s supposed to rain, and the following week—my last here for the season—the weather is supposed to be chilly and somewhat overcast. Then the pool is closed until next year, which always bums me out. Sure, I’ll be flying back to the West Coast, where an “endless summer” lives, but we still get cold temps out there, too.
So after my swim, I was in the mood for a strong-tasting cocktail. Something that had the right amount of bite that didn’t just come from the booze. My parents had gone to the local farmers’ market in their town earlier this morning and came back with a plethora of citrus. Among the lemons and limes, there were also plump blood oranges.
And today’s recipe, the Blood-Orange Paloma, seemed to be the ideal cocktail for what might be the last perfect day of summer.
What is the best tequila to use in a Blood-Orange Paloma?
Since we’ll be foregoing the grapefruit juice and instead be using a mixture of blood-orange and lime juice, let’s go with a clear and clean-tasting blanco tequila. The unaged spirit will have peppery, earthy notes which meld nicely with the other ingredients. You’ll wind up with a balanced beverage, with none of its elements overtaking or stealing the spotlight.
Ingredients
- Salt and a wedge of blood orange for the rim
- 1 1/2 ounces tequila blanco
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed blood orange juice
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce sugar
- 2 ounces club soda
- Slice of blood orange for garnish
Instructions
- Rub the rim of your glass with a wedge of blood orange. Dip the rim into a plate of salt. Set aside.
- Add the tequila, blood orange juice, lime juice, and sugar to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well until the sugar is dissolved.
- Fill your prepared glass with ice and pour the mixture in. Top with club soda and give it a gentle stir. Garnish with a slice of blood orange and serve.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
Coat the rim of a highball glass with salt, fill it with ice, and once you’re ready to start drinking, garnish with a fresh blood orange wheel.
How do you sweeten this cocktail up a little?
If you find this particular drink a tad on the intense side, you can sweeten things up some more by adding a dash of simple syrup or agave syrup.
Other Paloma variations worth trying
If you’ve got plenty of tequila and grapefruit to go around, why not try a few different Palomas? There are plenty of inspired riffs and offshoots of the original, and if you’re curious where to begin exploring these ideas, try out a few of these below to start with. Then explore Twist & Toast for even more delicious recipes.
- Beer Paloma – Some suds combine with a tart Paloma to craft this thirst-quencher.
- Spicy Paloma – Refreshing and bubbly, with an extra jolt of heat.
- Smoky Paloma – Tequila and mezcal come together in this sultry sipper.
- Skinny Paloma – Watch that beautiful body of yours with this calorie-counting cocktail.
Leave a Comment