Paloma with Pickled Purple Liqueur

May 22nd is World Paloma Day, so we’re celebrating by sharing our twisted Paloma recipe - with pickled purple carrots.

Paloma originally hails from Mexico, although how the cocktail specifically began isn’t clear. At its core, the long drink is a mix of tequila and pink grapefruit soda. Instead of adding lime juice and salt as is most often the case, our twisted version adds the salty sour touch with brine from pickled purple carrots.

Purple carrot, you may ask? Everybody knows the orange carrot, but most carrots were actually dark purple until the late 16th century. Other carrot colours include red, white, and yellow.

The purple in the carrot makes for some unusual colour options for drinks, such as this twisted Paloma with pickled purple carrot liqueur. First make pickled carrots, then add the resulting brine to the rest of the drink. Of course, pickled carrots are delicious as a snack or condiment on their own too.

The final result is a bit more vegetal than the traditional version, but the green taste works well with agave spirits - the combination creates a complex floral/fruity flavour profile. And, of course, the purple colour is fun!

Get this recipe and more in The Cocktail Balance book by Stan Harcinik.

Pickled Purple Carrots

500 grams purple carrots
10 grams coriander seeds
5 grams fennel seeds
8 grams fresh garlic
2 grams pink pepper
1 gram cloves
2 grams fresh thyme

Pickle Brine:
250 grams white wine vinegar
250 grams water
25 grams salt
125 grams white sugar

Preparation
1. Thoroughly clean and wash carrots. Cut into rings or desired shape. Place the carrots in a sterilised jar.

2. Mix the pickle brine, spices and herbs in a pot and bring to a boil. Gradually add the liquid to the carrots until they are completely submerged, leaving some free space between the lid and the surface of the liquid.

3. Close the jar and allow to cool, then let the pickle rest in the fridge for a few days to allow the taste to develop. The longer the pickles sit, the more intense the taste will become.

Pickled Purple Liqueur

450 grams pickle juice from purple carrots
150 grams vodka 50%
80 grams sugar syrup (1.5 : 1)

Preparation:
1. Filter the pickled carrot brine through a cheesecloth. Combine all ingredients.

Paloma

40 ml Olmeca Altos Plata
20 ml Pickled Purple Liqueur
30 ml fresh grapefruit juice
60 ml soda

Preparation method: Build
Glass: Highball
Garnish: pickled carrot rings