Recipe: The Best Paloma Cocktail

The margarita may be the classic Cinco de Mayo sipper, but this year try Mexico’s other favorite tequila cocktail, the Paloma. Rosey-hued and bittersweet, this grapefruit and tequila highball gets a fizzy finish with a splash of grapefruit soda. You don’t have to abandon the margarita, buy why not pour a pink Paloma with your next order of chips and salsa?

Both the paloma and margarita are cousins in the “sours” family of cocktails, which consist of a spirit, citrus, and sweetener. You’ll want to use 100% agave silver, or blanco, tequila for the most crisp flavor, and save the añejo and reposado (both of which are aged) for sipping. Palomas get their fruit flavor from grapefruit and a squeeze of lime, while margaritas lean heavily on lime and leave orange (juice or liqueur) to play a supporting role.

You can technically make a Paloma with just two ingredients — tequila and grapefruit-flavored soda — but using fresh fruit juice boosts the cocktail’s citrusy flavor and pretty pink color.

When it comes to the soda, Mexican-made grapefruit Jarritos is made with natural fruit flavors and sugar (not high-fructose corn syrup), so it’s my soda of choice. Squirt and Fresca are good alternatives. If grapefruit-flavored La Croix is all you have on hand, add a dash of simple syrup to sweeten the drink.

Salting the rim of the glass is your call, but serving it on the rocks with a wedge of grapefruit or lime is non-negotiable.