Peppered Rose Paloma
**This is a sponsored post brought to you by Exotico Tequila
When Exotico Tequila asks you to make a cocktail for Cinco de Mayo, you immediately call a team meeting and tell the chickens that there will be Papel Picado fluttering in the breeze (chickens don’t like fluttery, breezy things) and that the chickens may have to be adorned in festive flowers (chickens also don’t like being adorned). And you get right to work making a pretty little floral Paloma.
Well, I managed to get ONE shot of a chicken adorned in a flower. She wasn’t happy about it, and she was hightailing it away from that fluttering papel.
A traditional Paloma is usually made with tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, grapefruit soda, and a salted rim. You’ll find all sorts of variations floating around, especially those that replace the grapefruit soda with a mix of simple syrup and soda water. For this one, I went even further off course and decided to have dry sparkling rosé for the bubbles, and a flavorful Pink Peppercorn & Rose Syrup to bring on some sweet and spice. And that salted rim is getting a sweet-peppery upgrade with a mixture of sea salt, sugar, and crushed pink peppercorns. All of which combine perfectly with the clean, peppery undertones of Exotico Tequila Blanco.
PEPPERED ROSE PALOMA
Makes 1 serving
Suggested glass: highball, Collins, or pint glass
1 teaspoon sea salt + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar + 1 teaspoon crushed pink peppercorns to rim
1 lime wedge
1 small organically grown rose or several rose petals + a dusting of ground pink peppercorns to garnish
1 pinch of ground pink peppercorn
2 ounces Exotico Tequila Blanco
2 ounces pink grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce lime juice
1-2 ounces dry sparkling rosé to top
1 ounce Pink Peppercorn & Rose Syrup (instructions below)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon rosewater
To make syrup: combine peppercorns, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add rosewater. Set aside to cool. Strain into an airtight container and store in fridge for up to two weeks.
To make the cocktail: start by combining salt, sugar, and crushed peppercorns on a small plate. Rim your glass with lime juice, then roll it in the salt-sugar-pepper mixture. Add a pinch of ground pink peppercorn to bottom of glass, then fill with ice and set aside.
Add tequila, grapefruit and lime juices, and Pink Peppercorn & Rose Syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled and strain into prepared glass. Top with sparkling rosé, a dusting of ground pink peppercorn and a rose to garnish.
Please notice the chicken in the back intensely inspecting that fluttering papel.
Down in front!
That Exotico bottle (one of my favorite label designs in the history of booze labels) is definitely mesmerizing:
But fortunately the chickens were lured away from my drink to go get festive on my roses:
In summation: fluttering Papel Picado can be a little alarming, but a mouthful of roses really helps. I’ll take my mouthful of roses with some Exotico Tequila, please and thank you.
To everyone celebrating Cinco de Mayo (respectfully and responsibly), salud and cheers!
**This is a sponsored post brought to you by Exotico Tequila