Palomas | The Cure for Cinco De Mayo in Quarantine

Vibe check…. still in quarantine. Almost (?) done we think. As another holiday graces us with its presence, I am dedicated to finding ways to continue celebrating! Cinco De Mayo is one of my favorite holidays because it marks the start of warmer weather, and it’s the perfect occasion to make tequila drinks - my liquor of choice every time! The perfect cocktail for some Cinco celebrating? The Paloma of course. It’s one of the easiest drinks you could make, being that there’s so few ingredients and you probably already have them in your home! To make it even easier, I love using Q Mixers to further cut the time in half and add that little bit of fizziness. Make it spicy or not, your choice - but the Paloma is a foolproof classic that will be sure to get you in the Cinco spirit.

Paloma

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Premium Tequila

• 5 oz Q Grapefruit

• Two lime wedges

Preparation Instructions:

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.

2. Pour in the tequila and squeeze in a lime.

3. Then pour in the Q Grapefruit.

4. Gently stir and garnish with a lime.

Variation:

To create a spicy salt rim, mix salt and jalapeno and spread out on a plate. Run a lime along the rim of a highball, then dip the rim into the salt mixture . Try with mezcal rather than tequila for a smokier drink. A tiny splash of agave is a fun way to add some sweetness if preferred.

2 Altos Plata Libations to Celebrate With This Cinco De Mayo

Cinco De Mayo has to be one of my top favorite holidays. The main reason being that it’s all about tequila and I am SUCH a tequila girl! I recently discovered Altos Plata Tequila and couldn’t be more excited to create some classic Cinco De Mayo cocktails using it.

Altos Tequila Plata is made from 100% blue agave grown in the Los Altos highlands of Mexico. Complete with herbal notes of cooked agave, Plata is slightly citric and sweet with a fruity aroma. It's a classic tequila for the modern world.

Classic tequila with a twist? I am sooo into it. Here are two cocktails using Altos Plata that are not only perfect for Cinco De Mayo, but for all year round!

Crafted Paloma

Ingredients:

  2 parts Altos Plata

  2 part Fresh Grapefruit Juice

 1 part Lemon Juice 

  ½ part Agave Syrup

  Pinch of Salt

Method:

   Frost the glass rim with salt and crushed pink peppercorns.

    Pour all the ingredients except the grapefruit juice into the glass.

 Mix using the ALTOS molinillo to dissolve the agave syrup.

  Fill the glass with ice and finish with the pink grapefruit juice.

  Garnish with half slice of pink grapefruit.

Tommy’s Margarita

Ingredients: 

   2 parts Altos Plata

    1 part Fresh Lime Juice

   ½ part Agave Syrup

    Lime Wedge for garnish

Method: 

 Build up all the ingredients in a shaker with ice.

 Shake, and strain into an ice-filled cup. 

   Garnish with a lime slice on top.

My Favorite Cinco de Mayo Margarita Recipes

Aye aye aye! Cinco De Mayo is here and I could not be more excited! I am such a tequila-loving girl, and my favorite part of the holiday is that there are so many variations on tequila cocktails and margaritas you could make! My ultimate favorites are the ones that are colorful, refreshing, boast bold flavors and get you in that party mood... From a Prickly Pear Margarita, to a Matcha Margarita, to a very gilded style Royal Gold Margarita, here are a few perfectly tantalizing margs that will get you and your friends in the Cinco De Drinko spirit!

Casamigos Prickly Pear Margarita

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Casamigos Blanco Tequila

1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

.5 oz. Prickly Pear Puree

.5 oz. Sugarcane syrup (simple)

2 Dashes Orange Bitters

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into iced mixing glass and shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds. Strain into rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Cointreau Matcha Margarita

Ingredients:

*1 oz. Cointreau

*2 oz. blanco tequila

*¾ oz. fresh lime juice

*½ bar spoon (1 tsp) matchagreen tea powder

Directions:

Shake Cointreau, tequila, fresh lime juice and matcha in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Strain over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Allaire Privée Royal Gold Margarita

By Award-Winning Miami Mixologist, Josue Gonzalez from DÔA Miami Beach

Ingredients:

3 oz. Allaire Collection Privee Tequila
1 ½ oz. Fresh squeezed premium lime juice
1 oz. Grand Marnier Cuvee du Centenaire - 100 Year Anniversary

Directions:

Shaken over purified spring ice

Strained into a 24k Gold plated Shaker,

Coat half the glass rim with hand-harvested Sal de Ibiza Fleur de Sel
Pour into Waterford Crystal Margarita Glass
Garnish 24K Thai Elephant Gold Leaf coated lime slice
Served on silver plated platter with gold plated mixing spoon and gold plated straws
Allaire Royal Gold Margarita is available at DÔA in South Beach for $750 for one, $1000 for pair and $2500 as table side service leaving plenty of margarita to share!