Paloma, my favourite tequila cocktail

Tequila isn’t a drink many people like the taste of. Ever had a tequila slammer? Salt, shot, lime. How did it taste?  Well, this may go against popular opinion here but I like the taste of tequila. On its own, in a margarita but especially in a paloma, which is the cocktail I’m sharing with you today.

Juicy pink grapefruit, a squeeze of lime and a splash of soda make this Mexican classic the perfect drink for sunny days.

You can try this with any type of tequila. I chose to use silver (sometimes labelled as blanco), which is the spirit in its purest form and provides the most true flavour of the agave plant. If you tend to order drinks with gin or vodka, that’s what I’d recommend to you. However, if you’re a whiskey or rum drinker pick up an aged tequila, labelled reposado or añejo, for a more rounded out smokey flavour.

Now that I’ve helped you pick out the best tequila, let’s move on and make a paloma.

The rule is that when you use fruit juice in a cocktail, it should always be shaken. This is simply because fruit juice is dense and would otherwise just sink to the bottom of the glass. You can pick up a cocktail shaker for as little as five pounds, so if you like to experiment with drinks at home, it’s worth having one. I use a cobbler shaker, just because I think they’re the easiest and hey, who wants to make things harder for themselves? I won’t judge you for stirring this recipe though, I think you can get away with it.

If you’re making these for a crowd, you can juice the grapefruit and store it in the fridge for up to a week.  If you want to be really sneaky, you could even use a can of Sanpellegrino grapefruit or Ting in lieu of the real deal and soda water. In a pinch, it will work but it won’t be anywhere near as pretty as the pink grapefruit juice is to look at. I think the look of a cocktail is half the appeal, don’t you?