Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner! This is especially exciting at our place because two of the major food groups in Apartment 3A are tequila and tacos. One you can never have enough of, the other you can definitely overdo it with… I’ll let you be the judge of which is which. I shared a super tasty margarita recipe around this time last year, but today I’m playing with a drink that is even more traditionally beloved in Mexico, the Paloma.
In case you’ve never sampled a Paloma, it’s really simple- tequila, grapefruit, soda, and lime juice. I decided to take this classic cocktail and combine it with one of my absolute favorite snacks, pineapple and Tajin. I’m not someone that has a big sweet tooth; like, a piece of chocolate cake does nothing for me (hate me, I get it). So, a bowl of pineapple with Tajin seasoning is the perfect “dessert” in my world. It’s salty, spicy, sour and just sweet enough to feel like a treat. Also added to the mix is a smokey Mezcal instead of a more subtle silver tequila, which balances out the sweetness of the pineapple.
Just a short little liquor lesson: Tequila is to Mezcal as a square is to a rectangle. Meaning that all Tequila is Mezcal, but not all Mezcal is Tequila. Mezcal is only classified as “an agave based liquor”, while Tequila must be made strictly from blue agave. That’s as far as I’ll get into it because I can feel your fingers moving toward the “close this window” button, but I occasionally have to go there because cocktail culture is one of the few history subjects I cannot get enough of. People have just been havin’ a good time in their own way for centuries and I, for one, want in on the party.
Anyways, Mezcal is super “in” right now. Like, think of how trendy avocados are in food and beards are in men’s grooming… Mezcal is the hipster liquor of the moment. Picture drinking a margarita around a summer-night-bonfire while smoking a big fat cuban cigar, that’s the equivalent real-life scenario to a Mezcal cocktail in my mind. It’s a love or hate flavor profile, but for me it is a definite love! Let’s stir it up.
Ingredients
(based off of one cocktail)
2 1/2 Ounces Mezcal
2 Ounces of Juice from a Grapefruit
4 Ounces Pineapple Jarritos Soda
1 lime, cut into wedges
Pineapple and Grapefruit cut for Garnish
Tajin Seasoning for Garnish
First, cut a lime into wedges and slide one of the wedges around the rim. Pour Tajin into a bowl and twist the rim of the glass in the seasoning to coat.
Next, slice the grapefruit in two and juice one half. Set juice aside. Fill a short glass half full with ice and pour in 2 1/2 ounces of Mezcal. Next, measure out 2 ounces of Grapefruit Juice and 4 ounces of Pineapple Soda and pour into the drink. Finish off with a squirt of lime.
Slice your pineapple and grapefruit and coat the pineapple piece in Tajin. Stick a skewer through the fruit and set on top of the glass.
That’s it! So simple, right?! The Paloma is a favorite of Mexican culture for good reason… leaves you plenty of time to kick it.
Now you have a few days before May 5th to gather the supplies and impress your friends with a fiesta! And if you can’t make that happen, this really is a great drink for any time this summer. Warm weather and fruity drinks go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong. (Note: Second Grease reference on the blog this month. Much love to you, Rydell High).
Alright guys- you know the drill, let me in on it if you mix these up! Use the hashtag #347Cheers and at the very least you’re guaranteed a “like” from yours truly. I could throw in a second pity like from my personal account if the situation requires it… we’ll play it by ear. Adios! And if I felt confident enough saying “cheers” correctly in Spanish, I’d say that too!
Xo Amanda