The perfect Paloma

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We have had such a warm summer here in the Pacific North West this year.

Many days in the upper 90’s and the evenings don’t seem to cool down fast enough.

But, it’s the kind of weather that the big pots of petunia’s flourish in, and tomatoes take over, so we love it.

The perfect kind of weather for a perfectly refreshing drink.

I have to admit, until we had a get together recently and I was looking for a few new recipes to try, I had not heard of a Paloma.

I am typically not a big mixed drink person typically because they are too sweet and syrup-ey, and I feel like I just consumed a dessert.

Experimenting with a few different variations, I came up with a good balance of tequila, lime juice and ruby red grapefruit juice (I like ruby red as it does not have the tartness that regular grapefruit juice has.)

We have been painting the deck and covered patio on our new house all weekend, and the reward after a long day in the heat is blessed shade with your feet up and a hard days work behind you.

And, sometimes….a perfect Paloma.

Here is how I make mine:

Crushed or cubed ice
Agave silver tequila
Lime juice
Ruby Red grapefruit juice
Fresh Ruby Red grapefruit
Course kosher salt

I used a highball glass and my trick to make the salt stick is dipping the rim in the liquor that you are using as opposed to water.

Then a quick dip in about 1/4 inch of salt covers the rim well.

Add crushed or cubed ice about half-way full, and measure out a 1.5 ounce shot of tequila.

A tablespoon of lime juice, and fill the rest of the glass with the grapefruit juice.

Gently stir and serve.

And that is how I make my favorite version of a Paloma.

While I can see myself someplace tropical this summer, I find myself at home quite a bit working on our property.

The reward of that labor, the before and after of a home we fall more in love with each day, and the creation of a space to share with friends and loved ones is worth every ounce of work.