So at the beginning of every summer, L and I listen to 20 on 20 on XM radio every time we are in the car, trying to predict what the hit song of the summer will be.  This summer, I don’t think we hit upon anything that was the definitive hit, but there were a few contenders.  In the Mixology Lab, there’s no contest what the breakout hit was.  So, to follow up on a post that I wrote a looooong time ago, if I had to pick a drink that was the drink of the summer of 2008, it was the Paloma.  

I found the Paloma during the early spring while I was reading Paul Clarke’s blog, The Cocktail Chronicles.  My good friend M invited L and I to his parents place in Rehoboth Beach for an early beach weekend with a bunch of his friends.  Somehow, I got the job of being the bartender….  Anyway, one of the drinks that I unveiled that weekend was the Paloma.  Needless to say, it was a huge hit.  Light, fruity, refreshing, it was the perfect start to warmer weather.  

Once strawberries came in season, I knew I had to make a batch of Tequila por Mi Amante.  I did, and wow, what a fantastic drink that made.  Totally changed the character of the tequila in the drink.  Fruity, cooling, and with a hint of spice.  

Paloma
from Paul Clarke and Married with Dinner

• 2 ounces reposado tequila
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• pinch coarse salt
• Grapefruit soda 
• Grapefruit bitters (optional)

Add tequila, lime juice and salt to an ice-filled Collins glass.  Add Grapefruit bitters for an extra layer of flavor.  Top with grapefruit soda.  I like Ting, but Squirt works well also.  Garnish with the spent lime shell.  

Paloma, Mi Amante
from Paul Clarke 

• Same steps as the Paloma, but sub in the Tequila por Mi Amante for the reposado.  Skip the Grapefruit bitters.  

L rated both of these fantastic, preferring the regular Paloma ever so slightly over the Paloma por Mi Amante.  Gotta love a drink that you willingly default to and don’t feel disappointed with your choice.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 7:46 pm and is filed under Tequila. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.