the jolly sparkling cranberry paloma
IT’S CHRISTMAS TIIIIIIME IN THE CITYYYYY.
Ring a ling (ring a ling)
Hear them ring (here them ring)
Soon it with be cocktail daaaaaay.
I am among the crowd that doesn’t leap onto Christmas decorating until after Thanksgiving, but now that Thanksgiving has passed, I’m all aboard the Santa Clause sleigh. I’m not fantastic at sprucing my house up for Christmas since it seems to come and go so rapidly and by the time I actually peer at the Wondershop at Target most of the good shit is bought out to never return.
However, I can start early with cocktails since alcohol is always in abundance regardless of the proximity to a holiday, and this Jolly Sparkling Cranberry Paloma is a simple, spicy-and-sweet start to December festive sipping. Three types of citrus, sparkling cranberry juice, tequila, and a sugar rim that’ll pop your eyes open with delight and surprise.
Have a Holly Jolly Cocktail
No muddling, no steeping simple syrup – just plenty of fresh juice, tequila, and a generous finishing splash of sparkling cranberry juice. The lattermost ingredient is found pretty much anywhere this time of year, and adds a nice little fizz to the paloma. Like Rudolph’s twinkling nose.
I recommend rimming the glass with the Spicy Ginger Sugar: sugar, ginger, and cayenne pepper. Toss them together in a small dish or plate. Run a grapefruit or lime wedge around the rim and dip into the sugar mix, swirling and twirling like a bartender ballerina until the lip of the glass is well coated. Shake off excess sugar, or any that trickles its way into the glass.
For the drink, simply add everything to a cocktail shaker, throw in some ice, and shake until cold. Pour into the rimmed glass and finish with several big glugs of sparkling cranberry juice. Garnish with fresh cranberries and eucalyptus sprigs, or any fun herbs or greenery you have on hand.
Enjoy with friends over a casual dinner of Hot Honey Lime Shrimp Tacos and follow up with a bowl of leftover Gingersnap Munch Mix. What could be better?
Who among you are the Black Friday shopping fiends? I prefer to peruse cyber deals and don’t quite enjoy wrestling with retail crowds – they’re savages, truly, when it comes to consumeristic interests – but I wish I were a bit more savvy with finding good deals. I usually think of things that might qualify after the shopping spree has concluded and prices return to normal. Fairly irksome habit of mine. Makes Christmas shopping a whole lot more annoying since I’m scrambling to fill quotas every damn year nowadays.
If you have any tips about how to be a good Christmas shopper, please send them my way. The older I get, the worse I become, I swear.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup grapefruit juice
- 1 oz orange juice
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 1/2 oz honey
- 2 oz tequila
- sparkling cranberry juice, to top
- cranberries and greenery, for garnish (I used eucalyptus)
spicy ginger sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- On a shallow plate or bowl, toss together the sugar, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
- Rub the rim of a glass with a lime or grapefruit wedge. Dip and twirl into the spicy ginger sugar.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the grapefruit juice, orange juice, lime juice, honey, and tequila. Add ice and shake until cold. Pour into prepared cocktail glass. Top with sparkling cranberry juice. Garnish with fresh cranberries and florals or greenery of choice, as desired.
