A Savory Twist on a Classic Cinco de Mayo Cocktail: The Paloma With Bells On

May 4, 2020

Made in partnership with Fever Tree and Time Out.

A traditional paloma is made with grapefruit soda, lime, and tequila. Since they’re delicious, refreshing, and easy to make, it’s not hard to understand why they’ve become a Cinco de Mayo necessity.

While I love the standard paloma, there’s a culinary and slightly savory version I like even better: the Paloma With Bells On. It’s got a sweet and vegetal flair from bell pepper-infused tequila, a hint of ginger spice, and zingy fresh zest from the Fever-Tree sparkling pink grapefruit. So if you’re looking to pair your tacos with a leveled-up paloma this Cinco de Mayo, I recommend giving this version a try.

To make the Paloma With Bells On, start by infusing your tequila with bell peppers. Making the bell pepper infused tequila might sound a bit intimidating, but I swear it’s easy. Start the infusion by putting a couple thinly sliced bell peppers (with their seeds removed) in a jar. Next, fill the jar with tequila until the bell pepper slices are fully covered (the amount of pepper and tequila you add should correspond with the number of cocktails you plan on serving). After the tequila has infused for 6-12 hours, strain out the pepper and your tequila is ready to use. The hardest part is over, and it wasn’t even hard. Phew.

Now it’s time to build the cocktail.

Add 2 oz of your bell pepper infused tequila to a highball glass full of ice. Next, add 1/2 an oz of fresh squeezed and strained lime juice and 1/2 an oz of ginger liqueur. Then top off the glass with Fever-Tree sparkling pink grapefruit (it’s a great choice because it doesn’t go overboard on sugary sweetness and has zero artificial sweeteners— a non-negotiable for top-notch cocktail ingredients).