Smoked Ember Paloma
Blood oranges make their own drama; the juice comes out the colour of a low sun. Mezcal brings a little smoke, grapefruit keeps it a paloma, and rosemary syrup ties the two together. Tall, cold and not too strong.
What you'll need
- 0.5 cup sugar (100 g)
- 0.5 cup water (120 ml)
- 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1.5 oz mezcal or blanco tequila (45 ml)
- 2 oz blood orange juice (60 ml)
- 1 oz grapefruit juice (30 ml)
- 0.5 oz fresh lime juice (15 ml)
- 0.5 oz rosemary syrup (15 ml)
- 2 oz plain sparkling water (60 ml)
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 1.5 cups mezcal or tequila (360 ml)
- 2 cups blood orange juice (480 ml)
- 1 cup grapefruit juice (240 ml)
- 0.5 cup fresh lime juice (120 ml)
- 0.5 cup rosemary syrup (120 ml)
- 2 cups plain sparkling water (480 ml)
How to make it
Simmer the sugar, water and rosemary for 2 minutes, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat, steep for 20 minutes, and strain.
Run a lime wedge around a tall glass and dip the rim in flaky salt, if you like a salted rim. Fill with ice.
Pour in the mezcal, blood orange, grapefruit and lime juices and the syrup. Stir well.
Add the sparkling water and tuck in a rosemary sprig.
Stir everything except the sparkling water together and chill. Add the sparkling water just before pouring over ice.
Glass: Highball glass. Garnish: A rosemary sprig and a thin blood orange wheel. Some hosts pass the sprig briefly through a flame for the aroma.
Chef's secrets
Out of season, use regular orange juice with a splash of pomegranate juice for colour.
Bottled blood orange juice is fine here.
Good to know
The syrup keeps for two weeks in the fridge. The pitcher base can be mixed the morning of the party.