Paloma

The Paloma has a citrusy, refreshing, bitter flavor profile. The Paloma is actually more popular than the Margarita in Mexico, though it remains less known internationally. Its name means "dove" in Spanish. The refreshing combination of tequila, grapefruit, and lime creates a drink that is both simple and sophisticated, with a pleasant bittersweet quality that makes it endlessly drinkable in warm weather.

A Paloma requires 6 ingredients: Blanco Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Grapefruit Juice, Club Soda, Simple Syrup, Salt (for rimming).

A Paloma takes about 5 minutes to prepare and is considered easy difficulty.

A Paloma is traditionally served in a Highball glass, garnished with Grapefruit wedge and salt rim.

Yes, you can make a mocktail version of the Paloma by substituting the spirits with non-alcoholic alternatives such as seedlip, non-alcoholic distilled spirits, or flavored syrups and juices that mimic the original flavor profile.

The Paloma's origins are delightfully murky, with several competing tales adding to its mystique. The most widely accepted story credits Don Javier Delgado Corona, owner of La Capilla bar in Tequila, Jalisco, with creating the drink in the 1950s. Corona supposedly named it after the popular folk song 'La Paloma,' though some say it was inspired by a regular customer nicknamed Paloma. Another theory suggests the drink evolved naturally from the Mexican tradition of mixing tequila with Squirt, a grapefruit soda that launched in Mexico in the 1950s. What's undeniable is that by the 1960s, the Paloma had become Mexico's go-to tequila cocktail, outselling even the internationally famous Margarita. The drink's popularity stems from its accessibility – unlike the Margarita, which requires triple sec or Cointreau, the Paloma can be made with simple, readily available ingredients. This democratic approach to cocktail making reflects Mexican culture's emphasis on hospitality and inclusion, making the Paloma not just a drink, but a symbol of Mexican conviviality.