Some cocktails are like air conditioning, but the paloma isn’t one of them. Rather, it makes you feel like you were born and raised in the tropics: You’ll still be hot, but you’ll revel and thrive in the heat. Many paloma recipes call for either fresh or bottled grapefruit juice, or grapefruit soda. For this version, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice mixed with finely grated zest and a little sugar develops overnight into a citrus-packed syrup that takes this cocktail from delicious to impossibly zingy, tangy, and satisfying. Be sure to factor in time for that long (but worth it) steep.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila
• 3/4 ounce lime juice
• 3/4 ounce grapefruit syrup
• 1 dash sugar equal to the volume of the grapefruit juice and zest
• 1 splash club soda
• salt rim garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Zest the grapefruit with a fine microplane, then juice it. Add the juice to the zest in a small bowl, then top with an equal volume of sugar, and shake to dissolve.
2. Once fully incorporated, let the mixture rest overnight before straining it off into a clean jar.
3. Combine tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit syrup in a shaker, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
4. Strain the cocktail over a tall glass of fresh ice, top with club soda, and serve. If you're using pre-made juice or grapefruit soda, feel free to simply mix your drink to taste.