A spicy take on the Mexican bar staple, the Jalapeno Paloma Mocktail is served without the alcohol so you can carouse long into the night.
We just can’t get enough of the Paloma here on T&T. We’ve written on numerous versions, including the Blood-Orange Paloma and the Rosemary Paloma, so that you can concoct a different type each time you turn to your bar. It’s a dynamic drink with tequila and grapefruit at its base.
But sometimes our Paloma mania needs to be reined in. We enjoy its taste so much we’ve devised this mocktail recipe that will allow us to drink the Paloma as often as we like without worrying about falling over. And, so that the absence of the tequila is less noticeable, we’ve added some heat with the addition of jalapeno. It all makes for a savory cocktail that can be sipped any day of the week.
A Brief History of Mocktails
Given that mocktails are just, well… drinks, it’s difficult to say when the notion of mocktails entered our collective conscious. We should, then, start in 1920 with the advent of the Prohibition Era in the United States. As booze was contraband, people had to learn to make drinks that still tasted like their favorite cocktails without breaking the law. Obsequious drinking establishments began concocting these drinks for customers who gratefully (and perhaps ruefully) accepted their wares. With the end of Prohibition in the ’30s and the onset of the Second World War, people were back off the wagon. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that the term “virgin” began attaching itself to cocktails. It gave way to “mocktail” as society started taking better care of itself amid calls for healthier foods and drinks. Nowadays many distillers make sophisticated (and not inexpensive!) alcohol-free versions of your favorite spirits, meaning you can raise a glass without falling down!
Ingredients
- 4 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1-2 slices jalapeño
- 1 tbsp agave syrup
- 2 ounces club soda
- ice cubes
- pinch of sea salt
- slice of grapefruit and a slice of jalapeño (for garnish)
Instructions
- In a tall glass, muddle the jalapeño slices with the agave syrup to release the spicy oils.
- Add a pinch of sea salt, then fill with ice. Pour in the grapefruit and lime juices.
- Fill the rest of the glass with club soda. Stir to mix.
- Garnish your mocktail with a slice of grapefruit and a slice of jalapeño on the rim.
Nutrition
Tips & Tricks to Making a Perfect Jalapeño Paloma Mocktail
- Use real lime juice and not the store-bought variety. The real stuff is fresher, tastier, and better for you. I recommend doing the same for grapefruit though squeezing half a cup may be more trouble than it’s worth.
- For a spicier version, add more jalapenos.
- Instead of agave syrup, you can use simple syrup. Tequila is made from the agave plant though, so using agave syrup can infuse your drink with the tequila taste without the alcohol.
- You can make a rim comprising sea salt and, to keep it consistent with the spice of the drink, chili powder.
FAQs & Tips
A highball glass will do the trick, though a rocks glass will also work if you don’t want as much grapefruit juice. As for garnish, you can rim the glass with salt and/or chili powder and adorn said rim with a slice of jalapeno, grapefruit, or lime.
As there is carbonated water in the drink, it’s best to hold off adding it until you’re about to enjoy. The mix should be strained (provided you muddled the jalapeno) and then stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
There are 151 calories in this mocktail. To make this number as low as possible, use fresh juices, which won’t have added sugars and calories, and go easy on the agave syrup.
That depends on how hot you want your Paloma. Leave them in if you really want to feel the burn, remove them if you want something milder.
Yes, instead of grapefruit juice and club soda. Look for “clean” grapefruit soda, one which has minimal ingredients (i.e., just grapefruit juice and soda water), for the sake of the drink’s health quotient.
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