What Is a Paloma?

A “paloma” if you are unfamiliar with it, is a grapefruit version of a margarita, with lime juice, tequila, and a salt-rimmed glass. (It’s also Spanish for “dove”, which is neither here nor there when it comes to the drink.) And while I’m partial to everything grapefruit, a tequila/lime/salt combination rocks with pomegranate juice. Stir it up with a rosemary swizzle and now you have a drink that is fully decked out for the holidays in a ruby red coat with a salty white rim. To make it, all you need is pomegranate juice, some quality white tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and a salted rim glass. Top it off with club soda for bubbles, and give it a turn with a sprig of rosemary for the full effect.

A Winner of a Paloma Recipe

Full disclosure, I developed this recipe for a recipe contest at my college reunion (and won!). Since the college team name is the cardinal (color, not bird or priest), we named the drink “the Cardinal Sin”. It was the hit of the reunion! If you would like to make an alcohol-free version of this drink, substitute the tequila with orange juice, and leave out the salt rim.