Branden Nguyen

Guitar Performance and Instruction

S2E17 // "Paloma" [Classic Variation]

“Paloma” translates to dove, and it is a popular highball that pairs grapefruit with tequila. While I don’t often order this drink, it’s my friend Steven’s go-to choice so I get to sample quite a few of them. I have definitely learned to love this drink as I’ve gotten to drink it more. 

Most origin stories tend to have a romanticized aura around it. The Paloma, in particular, could be said to have been invented by a bartender one warm summer night in Mexico to quench the thirst of his patrons. Now that would be an ideal backdrop to this drink’s conception. Actually, the truth is much more capitalistic: the Squirt soda company created an ad campaign in the 1950’s where they encouraged consumers to mix their soda with tequila and lime. Though the beginnings of the Paloma were very minimalist in construction, that doesn’t mean we can’t elevate and modernize the drink a little. 

In this version of the Paloma, I found a recipe that used fresh grapefruit juice and pamplemousse liqueur. These two ingredients provide a much more natural, stronger grapefruit flavor that’s deeper and more complex than just using soda. The juice brightens up the drink giving it actual grapefruit aroma, while the pamplemousse liqueur gives that complex richness that one would equate to soda. Topo Chico seltzer---my favorite and perhaps the bubbliest seltzer ever---tops off this drink to give it an unmatched effervescence. Though, for a simpler and quicker version, there is nothing wrong with going back to the original specs: tequila and Squirt soda.

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