A summer refresher with a rich, sweet-tart grapefruit cordial.
The Upgraded Paloma
This summer refresher from Zac Overman at Seattle’s Sitka & Spruce is the perfect example of delayed gratification. Put in some advance work to make a rich, almost buttery sweet-tart grapefruit cordial and you have the makings of a whole pitcher’s worth of drinks at a moment’s notice.
Ingredients
For the Salted Grapefruit Cordial:
- 1/2 cup fresh juice from 2 large Ruby Red grapefruit, plus peel of 1 Ruby Red Grapefruit (with little to no white pith) (see note)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh juice from about 8 limes
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
For One Cocktail:
- 2 ounces blanco tequila, such as Chinaco
- 1 ounce Salted Grapefruit Cordial
- 3/4 ounce fresh juice from 2 limes
- 1/4 ounce Campari
- Seltzer
Directions
- For the Salted Grapefruit Cordial: Bury grapefruit peel in sugar in a pint-sized container. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- The next day, add grapefruit juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, water, and salt to sugar and stir or shake until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove grapefruit peel and refrigerate cordial, which will last for several weeks.
- For the Cocktail: In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, 1 ounce of cordial, 3/4 ounce of lime juice, and Campari. Fill shaker with ice, and shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice and top with soda to taste. Garnish with a grapefruit twist if desired.
- Since you need the grapefruit peel on day 1 and the juice on day 2, you can peel 1 grapefruit on the first day, then store the peeled grapefruit in the refrigerator overnight until you are ready to juice it the next day.