Ingredients:
- Ice
- Tequila – 2 shots
- Grapefruit
- 1/2 Lime
- Simple Syrup or Tonic Water
I used to hang out with my mom’s mom (a.k.a. Granny) every weekend. She loved Marlboro Lights & country music. She would cook delicious smelling & tasting yummies & play cards with me with the occasional break for her solo rounds of Solitaire. She slept with an oscillating metal fan on high. To this day, I cannot sleep a wink without white noise and I find extreme gratification in winning the daily challenge on my Solitaire app. I didn’t continue with Granny’s habit of nicotine & tobacco and my ears can only handle 80s country (George Strait & Garth Brooks in their heydays).
I recall my grandma wrapping her trash like it was a precious, compact & tidy gift for a special friend. I remember her having an irritating ability to guess what I chose as her Christmas gift (socks or earrings) before she even unwrapped them. (I didn’t start using boxes until I had children of my own.) And, along with so many other little memories etched in my mind, I remember that Granny would eat 1/2 a grapefruit a day. She said it was supposed to eat fat in the body. Every once in a while, when I was feeling a little plump, I would squinch my face and ask for a taste. Every.single.time Granny complied without hesitation or words. Every.single.time, I Hated it. So gross! Watching her inhale a cig down to the butt or eat that half grapefruit with a spoon was the same each time; I stared in complete awe.
I’m approaching 45 and I’ve been around the block a few times. Let’s just say, taste buds change! I once heard this happened every 7 years. I’ve never been patient enough to research the validity of that fact. Truth be told, I still wouldn’t sit down and eat a grapefruit like I would a watermelon or apple, per say. But, I can now admit to loving brussels sprouts (yes, I looked up the correct spelling for that veggie) and I have found a way to consume the juice of nearly 3 grapefruits a day in such a fun way!
I should take a second here to mention that I used to hate on tequila, the 2nd main ingredient of the recipe, as much as the 1st ingredient. I once saw tequila (the cheap kind, no question) eat the bottom out of my concession stand cardboard Coca-Cola cup. Needless to say, I steered clear of the libation for years. I finally tiptoed back into the liquor with Raspberry Margaritas and then on to original (house) Margaritas around 30 anos of life. Then came Top Shelf Margaritas (see: Spring Break Debacle of 2015). There once came a time that I thought I was allergic to tequila, but I finally linked that to food poisoning from my favorite local Mexican spot, either from the ice or onions. I’m too scared to try to iron that one out. I most recently started loving Spicy Margs because the heat of the jalapeno somehow knocks down the sweetness of the concoction a notch. And, now, I have found a nice groove with my friend, the Paloma.
What I love about this recipe is the exactness to it. For example, I know full well that after 2 Palomas (4 shots) I feel awesome! After 3 drinks (6 shots), I need to put a halt to consumption for the evening. I guess because of the tequila, I considered The Paloma a Mexican drink. However, I recently spent some time in Cancun and I wasn’t impressed with the rendition of this drink down south of the border. Instead of actual grapefruit juice, grapefruit soda was used, which really doesn’t do it for me. I’ve also learned along the way that some tequilas are too sweet. I love Cenzon, which I find at my local grocery store. Throughout all of these taste tests, I am convinced that TacOcaT is going to offer better-than authentic, delicious, beautiful (because we use Blanca) Palomas.
Process:
- Fill 8 oz. glass with ice (preferably shaker because the foam is so yummy).
- Add 2 shots of Tequila.
- Squeeze in the juice of 1 Grapefruit.
- Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 a Lime.
- Add in a squeeze of Simple Syrup or Tonic Water, if you like a fizz.
- Shakey shakey.
- Pour into a beautiful glass.Â
- Enjoy.
I love this little story! And I love your palomas!
Thanks, chica! I can tell we have many more drink recipes to create and post together. 🙂